Dead Helpful
by rrenvy
Summary: During the summer before his sixth year Harry meets the curious vampire Sanguini and befriends him. To cure his own boredom and to help Harry Sanguini becomes the new DADA professor as Nigel Sandman. Mild Slash.
1. Curiosity

Warnings: Mild slash, Spoilers for all seven books, though only consistent with the first five.

English is not my first language and so corrections are very welcome as is all other reasonable feedback, reviews etc.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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**Chapter 1: Curiosity**

Harry was sitting on a creaky wooden bench in the park. June was coming to a close and it was nearing midnight. He was feeling quite numb, he often did. Lately. Sirius, the only one he had been able to call family, was dead and he was to blame. Oh Harry knew the blame couldn't be solely laid on his doorstep but he wasn't blameless either. Sirius was dead, Harry was alone now and he felt numb.

The park around him was deserted, or so he thought until a deep and smooth voice from behind him said: "The Boy-Who-Lived, they call you. Haven't done much of living though, have you? Surviving yes, but not living." The stranger sat down next to him but Harry did nothing to acknowledge him. When he was in this numb state of mind he cared very little for his own safety. Potential dangers didn't even register in his mind.

"I prefer Harry", Harry muttered staring in to the distance.

"Harry", the man said tasting the name and then introduced himself: "I am Sanguini."

"A pleasure", was Harry's automatic response.

"Indeed", Sanguini chuckled, "What are you doing here this late at night, Harry?"

"Sitting. Thinking. Not thinking." Harry answered and slowly turned his eyes to the man next to him. The man was tall and dressed in a dark gray suit that looked slightly old-fashioned. His skin was pale, paler than pale. Almost white. And flawless except for the dark shadows under his eyes. His hair was silky black, brushed back and tied at the base of his neck with a silvery silk ribbon, and his eyes were the palest gray and reminded Harry of the moon. All in all the man looked like a handsome aristocrat with health problems. Harry's instincts were whispering to him and he knew the man wasn't human. Vampire, he figured. "What brings you to Little Whinging, Mister Sanguini?"

"Curiosity. And just Sanguini is fine."

"Curiosity?"

"Yes. I get terribly curious about the strangest things and I learned long ago it is much easier and more pleasurable to simply seek to satisfy my curiosity instead of trying to deny it", Sanguini explained with a friendly smile, "And this time I found myself wondering about the rumored _Chosen One_."

"The press comes up with the silliest titles, doesn't it?" Harry commented dryly.

"Yes, it definitely does", Sanguini agreed.

"What can I do to help you sate your curiosity, Sanguini?" Harry asked and smiled a little.

"You're offering me, a stranger, help on such an insignificant quest?" The man asked sounding quite surprised. "Shouldn't you be a little more reserved about what kind of people you interact with? You never know what kind of a monster someone might be..."

"You don't seem like a monster to me. A vampire maybe, but not currently a danger to me."

This rendered the man silent for a moment. Not many people recognized a vampire that quickly and when they did, they didn't sit around _chatting_ with one. They ran, screamed and shot hexes at them. Harry paid close attention to the man's reaction and came to the conclusion that his guess had indeed been correct. "You are the first vampire I have ever met", Harry said breaking the silence, "You seem more human than the DADA books implied. Then again, the picture the books paint of werewolves isn't very accurate either."

"You are a rare breed, Harry. Not many are able to avoid the prejudice your kind tends to cherish", Sanguini said and smiled widely. He hadn't been expecting much when he decided he just had to meet this so-called Chosen One. He hadn't been expecting to actually find entertaining conversation.

"It gets hard to trust what other people say about others when one has been through as much slander as I. One minute I'm the Savior of the Wizarding World and the next I'm the Heir of Slytherin and the dishonest and arrogant future dark lord." Harry explained with a shrug and then asked: "So what can I do for you?"

Sanguini hummed a little and eventually answered: "Would it be too much to ask for your friendship? I find myself utterly fascinated, you see."

"Friendship? You want to be my friend?" Harry asked sounding amused and he was.

"Yes. I want to get to know you better, converse with you."

"Sure, why not. You seem like a nice enough guy", Harry agreed and asked: "What would you like to talk about?"

"You're living with muggle relatives?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Sensitive nose. One of the benefits of being a vampire."

"Cool", Harry commented and then explained: "Yeah, I live with my mother's sister and her husband and son. They're very _'normal'_ people and proud of it. Not very accepting of anything abnormal."

"Like magic?"

"Like magic", Harry confirmed. "To them I'm just another freak."

"And that's why they starve you?" Sanguini asked softly.

Harry tensed and looked a little alarmed at that but then relaxed, "People don't usually notice."

"Humans, both magical and muggle, can be very dense and unobservant. My kind tends to see a lot more and a lot deeper", the man explained and then asked: "Do they hurt you?"

"Not so much anymore. They mostly ignore me now. My cousin Dudley used to beat me up when we were younger. Mostly my punishments are just locking me into my room, or cupboard when I was younger, giving more chores to do and withholding food. Nothing too horrible."

"Sounds horrible enough to me. That's child abuse", Sanguini pointed out.

"I won't be forced to stay here for much longer. I'll be taken to stay with a friend's family soon."

"Why are you here to begin with?"

"Dumbledore says I have to stay at the Dursleys' because of the blood wards. Safest place for me, he says", Harry said with a sigh.

"Hard to believe the _Great _Albus Dumbledore couldn't ward some other place well enough", Sanguini pointed out, his tone making his opinion of Dumbledore quite clear. Sanguini had always found Dumbledore dishonest, manipulative and full of himself. As he saw it, Dumbledore had the ego of a god and was treated as one by the majority of the magical folk.

"True, but there's not much I can do about it."

"I've heard countless stories about your adventures at Hogwarts", Sanguini said changing the subject, "Would you mind telling me about them? A teacher possessed by Voldemort hunting the Philosopher's stone, the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, the Triwizard tournament..?"

"Sure", Harry agreed and began telling about his past five wild years at Hogwarts. Sanguini was a very good listener. He held eye contact when Harry's eyes sought his and slipped in comments and questions without interrupting Harry's tales. He was beyond fascinated and a little horrified. What was Dumbledore thinking letting children face such dangers? There was no doubt in his mind that the Headmaster knew the happenings of his school well enough to prevent such disasters but he had done _nothing_. It was almost as if he had led Harry into dangerous situations on purpose...

When Harry finished his summary of his school history and yawned for the umpteenth time he said: "Perhaps I should drag myself back to the Dursleys' and the bed waiting for me."

"You do seem rather tired", Sanguini said with a warmer smile than one might expect from a vampire.

"Says the guy with panda eyes", Harry chuckled.

"The shadows under my eyes aren't due to lack of sleep", Sanguini explained, "Vampires begin to look tired and unhealthy when they're hungry. I'll look better after I've fed."

"Do you kill when you..?" Harry asked uncertain whether it was a question he should be asking or not. It wasn't exactly a polite kind of question.

"Not very often. We vampires usually drink small amounts at a time leaving our prey alive and we wipe their memories afterwards. Leaving bodies in our trail would attract too much attention and would force us to constantly move around", Sanguini patiently explained. He rather liked the fact that Harry was willing to ask instead of making assumptions.

"Okay", Harry smiled and rose, "I better get going. I'll be in Little Whinging until Friday so if you have the time, we could meet here some night before then..?"

"Tomorrow?" the vampire suggested as he too got up.

"Tomorrow", Harry agreed, "Good night."

"Good night, Harry", Sanguini replied and when Harry walked away he added: "Sleep well", and that night Harry slept better than he had since his godfather died.

O O O

The two of them ended up meeting all three nights before Friday and they talked. Mostly about Harry's life, though Sanguini shared some of his experiences when they were relevant to the subject. Most of the time Harry didn't much think about Sanguini's vampiric nature, so human as he seemed. On their fourth meeting, and their last while Harry was still in Little Whinging that summer, Harry said: "You don't look too good. You should have fed before coming here. I wouldn't have minded waiting a little longer."

"I'll be just fine", Sanguini assured, "You needn't worry. I should have at least a day more before the bloodlust hits."

"You look awful, though. It's almost painful just looking at you", Harry cringed. He had never been able to look at the suffering of others without feeling bad himself. Sanguini was looking whiter than usual, if that was even possible, his cheeks looked sunken and the shadows under his eyes were darker than ever.

"Are you offering?" Sanguini joked. Magical people were very possessive of their blood and were hardly ever willing to donate it for any cause. It was no wonder when you thought about all the damage one could cause with blood magic.

Harry looked at the vampire expressionlessly for a moment and then offered him his wrist saying: "Go ahead."

Sanguini was beyond surprised and made no move to take up on the offer. "Are you sure?" he asked when it became clear Harry wasn't joking. He needed the verbal confirmation, this seemed too good to be true.

"Yes", Harry answered and he was. He knew blood was something that shouldn't be given to anyone without a good reason, the ritual used to resurrect Voldemort was still fresh in his mind. Providing sustenance for a vampire who was his friend was a good reason in his mind.

Slowly, hesitantly Sanguini took hold of the hand offered to him and lifted the wrist to his lips. His eyes drifted closed as he flicked his tongue over the pulse point and then in a flash he sunk his elongated fangs into the smooth flesh.

Harry's breath hitched a little but the pain wasn't near as bad as he had expected. The pain lasted no longer than a second and then all he felt was warmth and tingling spreading from the bite up his arm and to the rest of his body. It was surprisingly pleasurable and he couldn't help but be fascinated by the sight of the vampire sucking at his wrist with a look of bliss on his face. Not a drop was wasted and soon the vampire was done. A few licks and the two round wounds closed without scarring.

Sanguini licked the last drops of blood from his lips. He looked a lot better now. The shadows under his eyes were gone and his skin was almost glowing with vitality. His eyes looked like melted silver in sunlight. "Delicious", Sanguini said with a very pleased smile, "Absolutely delicious. I am most grateful."

"You're welcome", Harry smiled back, "You look much better."

"It's been a while since the last time I had the pleasure of drinking magical blood and muggle blood can do only so much for us", Sanguini explained, "Blood from a wizard as powerful as you will sustain me for a few of weeks while muggle blood would force me to seek another meal in a day or two. On top of that, magical blood allows me to cast normal magic instead of only the vampiric kind."

"There's such a huge difference between magical and non-magical blood?"

"There's such huge difference between _your _blood and that of a muggle", Sanguini corrected, "The blood of an average witch or wizard would sustain me for a week or so."

"But I'm not – " Harry began to protest.

"But you _are_", Sanguini interrupted his voice soft but certain, "In terms of magical power you are way above your average wizard. I haven't had the pleasure of tasting power like yours in over a century. Judging by feel alone I would say you are around the same power level as your Headmaster."

"There is no way – "

"What you lack is knowledge, motivation and self-confidence."

"I think you're overestimating me a little", Harry protested.

"I don't think I am", Sanguini shook his head sadly. It was truly a shame how Harry's upbringing was clearly hampering him from achieving his potential. "Think on it."

"Sure", Harry muttered, "I would be happy to let you drink from me in the future when convenient." Sanguini smiled his thanks at that and they both well silent.

Eventually Sanguini asked: "You're leaving tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Dumbledore's taking me to the Burrow." Harry sighed. He had been waiting for the day eagerly but now that it was around the corner and he had Sanguini for company... "I don't know when I'll be able to meet you again."

"Perhaps we could converse via owl post?" the vampire suggested. He would miss the young man's company, that was for sure. It wasn't often he found humans that didn't bore him after the first five minutes. "If we're careful about what we write. There's a high chance someone goes through your post before it reaches you. Dumbledore, the Ministry, the Dark Lord... I'm sure they all are interested in what you write and to whom. I would have to use one of my fake identities."

"Sure", Harry agreed smiling brightly, "I'd love to." He was sad to lose the vampire's company. Even though the vampire had originally sought him out due to the whole Boy-Who-Lived business, Sanguini never treated him like he was special and famous. With Sanguini he could be just Harry, he could be normal and talk about normal things and feel like everything he said was heard as he said it, without the words going through some special this-is-what-the-famous-Harry-Potter-must-have-meant -filter. Even Ron and Hermione some times misunderstood what he meant because of his hero status. It was tiring.

"It's getting late. You should go to bed", Sanguini pointed out.

"You're right", Harry rose up from the bench he had began thinking of as theirs and Sanguini followed.

Sanguini's hand slowly cupped Harry's cheek and his thumb trailed along the cheekbone, "Good night, Harry", he said softly.

The gentle touch amazed Harry a little. The hand on his cheek was warm, due to his blood no doubt. He wasn't used to people touching him like that but it felt good and Harry's eyes fluttered a little. "Good night, Sanguini", he forced the words out of his mouth. Speaking was suddenly difficult for some reason. The hand dropped and with a last smile goodbye Harry turned and walked away.

Posted 6-18-2012


	2. Sandman

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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**Chapter 2: Sandman**

Dumbledore arrived as he had promised. As the old man ordered, though the order was veiled as a suggestion as it usually was with the headmaster, Harry tested his ownership of Kreacher and then ordered the house-elf to work at Hogwarts making a mental note to remember Kreacher in the future. Owning a house-elf could indeed prove useful. After handling the Dursleys the two wizards visited Horace Slughorn. As well as Dumbledore hid his emotions behind the genial mask, Harry got the impression his performance at the retired professor's house had left something to be desired. Harry wasn't stupid and he certainly was Slytherin enough to realize what Dumbledore had wanted him to do was to convince Slughorn it would be safer at Hogwarts.

Judging by the photos and books on display at Slughorn's place, Harry came to the conclusion that old Sluggie was most likely a potions professor which meant that either Snape was finally gone or had after years of begging gotten his wish and become the DADA professor. Desperately wanting to keep Snape away from the DADA post, Harry of course did his best to subtly nudge Sluggie in the opposite direction. Slughorn was obviously a very oblivious Slytherin as Harry's tiny little manipulation went unnoticed.

At the Burrow Dumbledore told Harry to tell Ron and Hermione about the prophecy but no one else. Harry wasn't too happy about that. The prophecy was about him so naturally he had the right to decide who tell. It was his secret to tell. Dumbledore had no right whatsoever to decide who should know and who not. Still, Harry decided he would take Dumbledore's words under advisement.

Dumbledore also told him about these private lessons he'd be giving Harry "a little of this, a little of that" wasn't a horribly assuring explanation about the contents of the lessons so Harry wasn't holding his breath. He was happy to hear the Occlumency lessons with Snape wouldn't be continuing but he had also begun to feel like maybe he really should put some effort into learning the art. His lack of skill as an Occlumens was after all one of the main reasons behind Sirius' demise.

The atmosphere at the Burrow was a little tense, though in general nothing had changed since Harry's last visit. The tenseness was mostly due to the increased security measures and the presence of Fleur, who wasn't much liked by the others. Ron and Hermione kept giving Harry concerned glances after he told them he had heard the prophecy and was indeed the Chosen One, the one who would either kill Voldemort or die trying.

The highlight of the few weeks before his sixteenth birthday was when he got a letter a few days after his move to the Burrow.

_Dear Harry,_

_How have you been? I know it hasn't been long since we last spoke, but I know in your life the most fascinating and terrifying things happen in short periods of time. I still cannot believe how much adventure you have found in the short time of the three years since we first met in London. And not to mention the fact that the reason we met to begin with was the accident you had with your Aunt Marge! I'm rambling, I apologize._

_Now the main reason why I wrote to you today was to inquire if you happen to know if the Headmaster of your school is still looking for a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor..? I find myself lacking a suitable project to fill my time and perhaps teaching until I've found inspiration would be the perfect solution. What do you say?_

_Here is the book I promised to send you, my latest one. I hope you will enjoy reading it, and if it is not to your tastes I shall not be offended. Perhaps it will suit your friend Miss Granger better?_

_Your friend_

_Nigel Nergui Sandman_

It took a while but Harry succeeded in reading between the lines enough to realize what Sanguini (SANdman nerGUI NIgel, Sanguini indeed...) was truly asking was whether Harry would like the vampire to ask Dumbledore for the job. Vampiric as the man's nature was, he would need blood regularly and from what Harry had understood of Sanguini's explanations, he would need strong magical blood to keep up his ability to constantly cast normal human magic instead of the vampiric magic which came more natural to his kind.

The rest of the letter was basically telling him that the cover story explaining how they knew each other was that they had met in London back before Harry's third year when he had run away from the Dursleys' after blowing up Marge and that they had kept contact after that, meeting during the summer time and so on. A quick look through the book _Magical Communities in Northern Europe by Nigel Sandman_ showed Harry that the whole point of sending him the book was to make him read the short bio inside the front cover. It wouldn't do for him to know nothing about his old friend.

Harry quickly sent Sanguini a reply telling him to go for the job wishing him luck as it would be nice to have a competent teacher for a change, and one that wasn't after his blood, he joked. He also vaguely explained his last few days and thanked for the book writing it would no doubt prove informative. He was extra careful to call Sanguini "Nigel" in the letter and made sure to call him Nigel in his head as often as possible to avoid future mishaps.

By the time Harry's birthday rolled around, he was missing Sanguini's calm company. The life at the Burrow was a bit too hectic to suit his taste and something about the other two members of the Golden Trio and Ginny irked him. Too childish, he figured. Having seen his last hope at having a father figure die had forced him to grow up a little and a little too fast. Sanguini could make him feel more at peace, ageless as he was in his ancientness. Sanguini didn't treat him like a child nor did he try place the responsibilities of an adult on his shoulders.

It was nice to have his birthday celebrated at the Burrow but the grim news about Dementor attacks that Remus brought with him cast a dark shadow over his happiness. To him the attacks felt like a twisted birthday present from Voldemort himself, though he knew it was a bit self-centered to think it was all about him.

The present he received by owl from Sanguini, or Nigel, as the letter attached was signed, was definitely his favorite. It was made of the hide of a Hungarian Horntail and while it looked rather like an ordinary school bag, it had several very useful charms on it. It was bottomless, or nearly so and as indestructible as one could make a bag. No one but Harry could open it (after Harry imbued it with his magical signature) unless Harry willed it so (and he had no intention of giving anyone else access to his stuff). There was also a feather-weight charm and a tracking charm on it, the kind that allowed Harry to literally feel the bag no matter how far it was if he concentrated enough. Harry loved it and the fact that the type of the dragon hide used showed that Sanguini hanged on his every word made the bag all the more precious.

Of course receiving an expensive present like that forced Harry to finally explain his friendship with "Nigel". Sanguini he kept secret even from his two best friends. Vampires were even more frowned upon than werewolves and he wasn't willing to risk anyone finding about Sanguini. He didn't doubt the vampire's ability to protect himself, no, but if someone found out that Nigel was vampire Sanguini, Sanguini's teaching career would shrivel and die quicker than one could say "Whoops". He also decided to keep to himself the fact that Sanguini had been hired as the new DADA professor. More out of possibly amusing reactions he would get to observe during the start of school year feast than any particular need to keep it a secret.

The trip to Diagon Alley was surprisingly uneventful, though not completely event-less. Diagon Alley had changed. It was like there was this layer of gloom covering everything with the exception of the shop of Fred and George _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_. Harry was happy to know the money he had donated had been put to excellent use. A little bit of spying on Draco Malfoy had Harry's paranoid side whispering something bad was going on. If his suspicions were correct, Draco had already taken the Dark Mark and was working on something for Voldemort himself. That meant that whatever it was it most probably had something to do with either Hogwarts or her occupants. He would definitely have to keep a close eye on Malfoy and put a stop to whatever the ferret was planning.

On September the first when they arrived at the platform 9 and 3/4 it took Harry less than two minutes to start feeling a headache coming. Too many people and too much _staring_. It was like they had never seen him before. To further drive him into insanity people didn't even bother to whisper quietly enough to keep him from hearing. Oh no, he could hear them all around him talking about the Chosen One. He felt a desperate need to run and find some peace and quiet but patiently listened to Mrs Weasley's fussing and assurances that they would be seeing each other during the Christmas holidays.

The train ride passed slowly, excited as he was to finally meet Sanguini again, even if it was just seeing him across the Great Hall. Luna and Neville were good and quiet company while Ron and Hermione were busy with their prefect duties. Harry did his best to try and participate in the conversation but he was mostly daydreaming until they reached the Great Hall. His attention immediately snapped to the head table where he could see Sanguini sitting next to Snape. Snape looked the same as he always did and Sanguini was just like Harry remembered from the beginning of the summer except his attire was more wizardly. The two men were by the looks of it having a casual conversation. Snape didn't look pleased, though it did seem his displeasure was more directed towards the students filling the Hall than the man next to him.

"Is that the new DADA professor?" Neville asked when they sat down. "I don't recognize him."

"He's totally hot!" Lavender giggled with Parvati a few seats over.

"Nigel Sandman", Harry answered slowly. He smiled to the new professor when their eyes met and got a very nice smile in return. Reluctantly turning his eyes back to the friends sitting around him he added: "And yes, he'll be teaching us defense this year."

"Wait, _that's_ Sandman!" Hermione asked excited. Harry had told her and the Weasleys' about his book-writing friend but not much. Hermione had been the most interested in the man that could be called an experienced traveler and researcher of magical creatures and communities around the world. He had written several very highly regarded books on those subjects.

"You know him?" Neville asked Harry.

Harry nodded, "Yeah, I met him a few years back in London and we began talking and came friends of sorts. After that we've met a few times during summer time and stuff. He's very nice and I'm sure he'll be an excellent teacher. Fair too."

"How old is he? Is he taken?" Lavender asked. She was seconds from drooling.

"Never asked", Harry shrugged.

"I'm sure Harry and Professor Sandman had more important things to talk about", Hermione sniffed. It was obvious that while she tried to be all appropriate about the professor, even her wasn't completely immune to the fact that Sanguini was very attractive. It was the way her eyes kept straying to head table. She was not the only witch mesmerized by the vampire.

"Girls..." Neville muttered shaking his head amused. He too had noted the reactions of the witches around them. Ron was somewhere between confusion and miffed.

The Sorting Hat sang of unity and darker times and the sorting passed as usual. The food was excellent as it always was and with a glance at the head table Harry wondered how Sanguini handled the whole food issue. As far as Harry knew, vampires couldn't really digest anything but blood and other liquids. He made a mental note to ask the vampire about it later.

Dumbledore's start of school year speech was less carefree than usual as was expected. His introduction of the new DADA professor got a lot louder response than it would have gotten had the professor been less visually pleasing. Ravenclaws were the loudest as most of them had no doubt heard of his books, perhaps even read them. While a part of Harry wasn't too pleased by the fact that he now had to share Sanguini, he was glad some of the attention was drawn away from himself.

As they were on their way to the Gryffindor tower Harry idly wondered if he might be able to sneak of to see Sanguini that night but came to the conclusion it would be safer to wait. First night at Hogwarts was bound to be full of restless wanderers and thus more closely guarded by the staff and the prefects. It wouldn't do to draw more attention to himself and possibly Sanguini.

O O O

During breakfast the following morning Harry was delighted to find he had only one class that day and it was DADA in the afternoon. Time seemed to crawl by when he was sitting in the Gryffindor common room with Ron waiting for the class after lunch and due to Harry's hurry the Golden Trio were the first students at the DADA class room. Sanguini was already sitting behind his desk when they arrived.

"Hi, Nigel", Harry greeted ignoring Hermione who was scoffing at his lack of respect towards the professor.

"Harry!" Sanguini exclaimed and gestured with his hand for Harry to come closer. "How was your summer?"

"I was at the Weasleys' most of it so naturally it was a lot better than usual", Harry replied with a wide smile, "How has your first day teaching been?"

"Lively and busy", Sanguini chuckled, "I had first years and fifth years before lunch."

"Let me guess, the firsties were a bit too full of energy and the fifth years were drooling and asking questions a tad too personal..?" Harry grinned.

"Couldn't have said it better myself", Sanguini agreed with a nod. "Now introduce me to your friends."

"Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley", Harry introduced, "meet Nigel Nergui Sandman."

"A pleasure", Hermione near giggled. Her eyes were gleaming as she stared at the professor hungrily.

"Indeed", Sanguini politely agreed and then turned back to Harry, "Can you stay after class? I heard about your defense club last year and I'd love to hear your opinion about some of my lesson plans."

"Of course", Harry quickly agreed. Students began to file into the room so the three of them took their seats near the front.

"Good afternoon class. My name is Nigel Nergui Sandman, Professor Sandman to you while I'm teaching here which won't be longer than a year if the rumors of a jinx on this post are indeed based on truth." Sanguini made a very convincing image and had already succeeded in making his students listen quietly with small smiles on their faces. "From what I've heard, you haven't had the best of teachers in this subject but I'm sure with some hard work we will be able to correct any damage done to you by my predecessors. Now according to the usual contents of sixth year the DADA lessons consist mostly of non-verbal defense, which is of course very useful to know, but also very useless unless you're already able to defend yourself with verbal casting. This is why I have decided to tinker with the lessons plans more than just a little and we will use most of the school year revising what you should have learned in the past five years of DADA. Naturally the pace we will be going through the study materials will be tough, but I'm sure we'll manage just fine. I'm also thinking if during the practical parts some of you have time to spare, you could try to cast the same spells non-verbal as well and earn extra house points. Any questions, comments?"

Most of the students thought the class had been brilliant. No one had done anything to warrant point-loss and no one had indeed lost any which was a miracle when took you into account the fact that the classroom had been full of both Gryffindors and Slytherins. Sanguini spoke clearly and answered the questions asked with precisions. Harry was left alone with Sanguini after Ron finally physically dragged a very reluctant Hermione out of the classroom. "You were brilliant", Harry praised.

"Thank you", Sanguini smiled warmly, "It's not the first time I'm teaching but it is for defense like this for humans." He began going through his desk drawers, "Take a seat, Harry. I have something for you. Now where did I put it..." It took him a minute or two but he finally handed Harry a letter. "This is from Gringotts. It's something my contacts gave me to give you when I was digging into why you're staying with the Dursleys'."

Harry quickly opened the letter and the more he read the wider his eyes got until he finished and tossed the letter to the vampire to read. He was silently fuming while Sanguini read it and then he growled: "That manipulative old coot had no right to keep this from me!"

The letter was about what he had inherited from Sirius. No doubt Dumbledore knew or at the very least had suspicions. Most likely Dumbledore knew exactly what Sirius had left Harry and had prevented Harry from hearing about it. And what had Sirius left his godson? Almost _everything_. He had willed heaps of money to the Andromeda Tonks and Remus Lupin but everything else was now Harry's and that included several vaults, a few properties (not just Grimmauld Place) and the title of Lord Black along with which came the right to access all he had inherited even before he was of seventeen years of age.

"No right!" Harry repeated loudly, nearly yelling.

"I would like to say I'm surprised but I really am not. This seems exactly like the thing Dumbledore would do", Sanguini shook his head sadly. It really was quite painful how much the Headmaster had wronged Harry in the last fifteen years. "What are you going to do?"

Harry took a few deep breaths and thought it through. If he went yelling at Dumbledore about this it would raise questions about how he found out and it would give the old coot another chance at trying to control him. "I'm not going to tell anyone that I know until absolutely necessary."

"That may be wise", the vampire agreed.

"Kreacher!" Harry called and the old house-elf appeared. He was muttering to himself but Harry ignored it, "Kreacher, I want you to go and check all the Black properties I now own except Grimmauld. I want a detailed report on the condition the properties are in and a complete list of all the wards the properties are protected by. You are not to touch anything, not to talk or in any other way communicate to anyone or anything unless it is necessary to complete these orders. In fact, you are to stay hidden from everyone until you come back to me with your report and to receive further instructions. Do you understand?"

"Kreacher understands", the house-elf answered and then popped away after muttering something about filthy half-blood masters that are nothing compared to his Mistress Walburga.

"How often do you need to feed from me?" Harry asked abruptly changing the subject.

"Once every two weeks should be enough as long as I stay uninjured and am careful not to over-exert myself."

"Let's make it once a week to be on the safe side", Harry suggested, "The healthier you look the less suspicion we'll have to deal with. I expect people will notice anything odd easier now after we've already once had a magical creature as a professor."

"Ah yes, Remus Lupin the werewolf."

Harry smiled and asked: "Hungry?" offering his wrist to the vampire on the other side of the desk. Sanguini was on Harry's side of the desk and kneeling next to him in a flash, nodding eagerly. Harry flinched a little at the initial pain of the fangs penetrating tender flesh but then there was nothing but the quickly spreading tingling warmth.

After licking the puncture marks closed Sanguini licked his lips and smiled widely: "Thank you. It was even more delicious than I remembered." His gray eyes were glowing with life though the glow was already visibly fading.

"Vampires burn in the sunlight, right?" Harry asked eying the thick curtains covering the windows of the class room as Sanguini returned to his seat behind the desk.

"Yes, though a vampire as old as me can tolerate the sun a moment or two before we burst into flames", Sanguini explained and dug out an amulet he wore around his neck and hidden under his clothing. The amulet was round and made of something that looked like silver with a yellow jewel in the middle. It was carved full of tiny runes. "This amulet blocks the harmful effects the sunlight. It's extremely old and one of the few of its kind. It does have its limitations one of which is that it requires human kind of magic to be fed into it for it to be of any use. In other words a vampire can only use it as long as they have fed on a witch or a wizard powerful enough. To conserve the magic your blood gives me I try to avoid the sunlight as much as possible. It's a good thing the subject I teach is Defense Against the Dark Arts. No one questions it if I decide to keep my classroom gloomy to create a suitable atmosphere."

Harry chuckled and asked: "What about food? You can't eat any, right?"

"Yes, we vampires are quite unable to digest anything solid. It's a good thing I'm adept at using wandless and non-verbal magic. I vanish the food when I pretend to swallow."

"Genius", Harry praised.

"Now, I know you're a master at sneaking around but I'm not entirely comfortable with the risk it would bring on both of us", Sanguini said changing the subject to one of the things he had intended to talk to Harry about, "So I was thinking of asking the Headmaster if he would allow me to make you my assistant, experienced as you are with teaching defense and with the free time you undoubtedly have this year."

"That's a great idea!" Harry immediately agreed. Anything that would give him more time to spend with his blood-sucking friend was better than good in his books.

"I shall take the subject up with Dumbledore no later than tomorrow."

"Eager to get more time with me?" Harry teased a little.

"Naturally", Sanguini good-naturedly agreed.

"Ron and Hermione must be waiting for me", Harry said and got up only to feel dizzy. He was forced to grab the desk in front of him to keep himself upright.

"Drank too much, I see. You're anemic. Here, drink this." Sanguini came around the desk to support him while handing him a potion vial. Harry downed it without further thought and Sanguini explained: "A blood replenisher. You should probably take one after every time I feed from you. It wouldn't look good to have you weak and fainting constantly."

"Thanks", Harry muttered and was quickly feeling better. He smiled at the vampire still hovering concernedly next to him and said: "I'm fine. I'll be seeing you."

"Yes, bye Harry."

"Bye", Harry gave a tiny wave and left. As soon as he reached the Gryffindor Common room he was accosted by Ron and Hermione.

"What did you talk about?" Hermione asked, her tone almost demanding.

Harry didn't much like her tone and almost felt like refusing to answer because of it but decided it would be better to avoid drawing too much attention to himself and his interaction with Sanguini so he said: "DA, mostly. He wanted to know what we taught last year and how." It was a safe lie to tell. He had told Sanguini all about Dumbledore's Army during their nightly meetings at the beginning of the summer. "He was rather impressed, I think." He brushed past two and took a seat on a couch near a window. He began working on the essay Sanguini had assigned them and ignored the surprised stares of his two best friends. It wasn't like him to do the homework before absolutely necessary and without whining.

Harry had decided it was time to start putting some real effort into learning. He didn't much care about his grades, it was hard to when he had no solid future plans or dreams. He had been planning to become an auror, yes, but then he got an E from Potions and realized he wasn't too disappointed. The knowledge that he would have to kill Voldemort or be killed changed everything. Suddenly the violent career of an auror held very little interest to him. He was already being forced to commit one murder if he wanted to live, he didn't want to be forced do any more fighting and killing than that.

No, the reason Harry had every intention of learning more was that he wanted to end this. He wanted to prevent any further deaths of people dear to him and he wanted Voldemort stopped. Having Sanguini near was a great comfort. He knew the vampire would help him. The vampire hadn't exactly told him that, but it was something Harry could feel deep in his bones. Still, no matter how much he was ready to rely on the help of Sanguini, he didn't want to push his responsibilities on to the shoulders of others altogether. No, it was time for him to grow up and face what he needed to do. And right now it was to study and to better himself so that when the day of his final confrontation with Voldemort came, he would be as ready as he could be.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Hermione asked sitting next to him. "You're studying and you've got a real grim expression on your face..."

"I'm fine", Harry assured without turning to look at her, "Just thinking I ought to put more effort into the few subject I have this year."

That evening Harry got a note from Dumbledore telling him their first lesson would be on Saturday at eight p.m. When he was done with the DADA essay he noticed there was still some time before the curfew and so shaking off Ron and Hermione he visited the library in search of books on Occlumency. It took him a good half an hour to find what he was looking for, reluctant as he was to ask directions from Madam Pince. He didn't want to draw attention to the fact he was looking to learn Occlumency after the disaster his lessons with Snape had been.

Luck was not on his side. As he was returning to the Gryffindor tower he ran into Snape. And by ran into, I mean it rather literally, as both the wizards were moving rather briskly until they collided. Snape was able to stay upright but Harry found himself on his ass on the floor.

"Do you suffer from temporary blindness as well as insistent stupidity, Mister Potter?" Snape sneered.

"You must really miss having me in your class..." Harry muttered too low for Snape to hear picking himself and the book on Occlumency up from the floor.

Snape's eyes took in the cover of the book. "We are not continuing our lessons this year", Snape growled fearing the worst. Dumbledore had the nasty habit of keeping information to himself until the last possible moment and it would be just like him to suddenly order Snape to start teaching Harry again.

"Thank heavens for that small mercy", Harry exclaimed, "I'm eagerly looking forward to a very Snape-free year. If you'll excuse me." Harry walked past the seething professor without a second glance and ignored Snape's growl of "Twenty points from Gryffindor!"

O O O

The week went by slowly. Harry and Sanguini decided it wasn't worth risking sneaking around for them to meet unless necessary so the two of them talked shortly only a couple of times when they happened to run to each other in the hallways. Sanguini had asked but had yet to receive an answer from Dumbledore about having Harry assist him.

On Saturday night Harry made his way to the Headmaster's office mentally preparing himself to avoiding Dumbledore's eyes especially when the subject had something to do with Sanguini. He had been reading about Occlumency and had tried to clear his mind every night before sleep but he knew he hadn't yet made sufficient progress to even _dream_ about keeping the old coot out of his head.

Harry entered the office after being given the permission to do so and looked around curiously. He absentmindedly offered and received the usual greetings. The office looked as it always had before. Full of the oddest silvery instruments and with Fawkes sitting on his perch looking over the proceedings as were the curious portraits of the past headmasters. He took the offered seat and patiently listened to Dumbledore as he explained the purpose of these "lessons" would be to share certain information about Tom Riddle's past. Harry didn't much like the sound of that as he heard what wasn't expressly said: Dumbledore would be doing as he always did, in other words telling what he thought would be necessary and leaving everything else untold.

With quietly Harry listened as Dumbledore explained what he would be sharing wouldn't be facts but conjecture and that he'd be showing Harry memories starting with a memory of Bob Ogden. Together they watched as Ogden visited the Parseltongue-speaking Gaunt family. Realizing these were the relatives of Voldemort made Harry feel uncomfortable. It made him feel pity and Voldemort deserved very little of that. It was no wonder Tom Marvolo Riddle became what he was today with a heritage like that. The Gaunts were obviously less than sane.

Harry noted the locket and wondered if Voldemort now had it. Slytherin's locket had no doubt much value in Voldemort's eyes proud as he was of being the Heir of Slytherin. The ring the oldest Gaunt, Marvolo, as Dumbledore called him, was wearing was now in the finger of Dumbledore and that made Harry wonder if the ring had been the cause of the sorry state of the old coots hand.

After they were done discussing the memory, and the discussion was a short one reluctant as Harry was to ask questions as Dumbledore was obviously expecting him to, Dumbledore asked: "My boy, I hear you were already acquainted with Professor Sandman before he came to teach here..?"

"We are friends, yes", Harry answered not feeling inclined to elaborate.

"Might I ask how you met?"

"It was in the summer before my third year after I ran away from the Dursleys' after blowing up Aunt Marge. We met in London and after that we've met occasionally during summer time", Harry explained keeping his eyes on Fawkes and his expression neutral.

"You're friendship came as quite a surprise to everyone", Dumbledore pointed out.

"I'm sure there a lot of things about my life at the Dursleys' people know very little about", Harry shrugged. And if people knew how his life at his relatives' house was then that raised the question why no one had done anything about it. If Dumbledore had kept close tabs on him, he couldn't exactly admit to it because then he would be responsible of the abuse Harry had to suffer through almost as much as the abusing Dursleys.

Sensing getting answers out of Harry wasn't working too well at the moment Dumbledore decided to leave that line of questioning at least for now and said instead: "Professor Sandman has asked if he can ask you to work as his assistant. I wanted to ask your opinion before giving him the permission."

"I'd be delighted to", Harry replied with a wide and only partly false smile, "I definitely have the time and I'm sure working with Nigel will be interesting."

"Very well. I will tell him the good news tomorrow", Dumbledore nodded, "It's getting late. Perhaps you should be going now, my boy. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir." And Harry was quickly out of the door. Because of the recent revelations of Dumbledore's manipulations and information withholding Harry hadn't been feeling comfortable in the old coot's presence. Knowing the wizard was a master Legilimens made the situation all the more stressful.

Harry hadn't been expecting much of the lessons but the first had still left him disappointed. It was obvious Dumbledore was slowly paving the ground to something big, something fundamental. If only the old coot wasn't being so difficult. What Harry wanted was information now and not months of introductory lessons before they finally reached the point of it all. He was also mighty disappointed by the fact that they hadn't discussed the prophecy much at all. He would have liked Dumbledore's honest opinion on what he thought it meant for Harry but as it was not to be... _I'm sure Sanguini will be more forthcoming_, Harry decided, _It's time to tell him why I'm called the Chosen One._

__Posted 07-03-2012


	3. Suspicions

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

AN: **Thank you** for all the reviews, favorites and alerts! Thank you for reading!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Suspicions**

It was in the morning of the following Monday that Harry was asked about Quidditch. Katie Bell was the Captain and as everyone suspected Harry's ban from last year had indeed been lifted. That's why it was quite a shocker for everyone to hear Harry had no intention of actually playing.

"But why!" Ron yelled outraged.

"Ginny was doing just fine as the Seeker last year and I'm going to be busy studying and helping Nigel", Harry calmly explained. He had told his best friends about the offer to work as DADA assistant after he had returned from his meeting with Dumbledore.

"But it's Quidditch!" Ron insisted like that explained everything.

"Ron, Harry has more important things to worry about", Hermione sniffed. She was proud Harry was taking his studies more seriously.

It took a long while of repeated arguments before Ron let the matter go and even then Harry knew the argument would be visited again in the near future. Sure, Harry loved flying and playing Seeker was fun, but Quidditch would still be there when the war was over.

Harry stayed after the DADA class to talk with Sanguini.

"The Headmaster gave me permission", the vampire said.

"I know. He asked me about how we met and stuff and said he'd give you the ok", Harry nodded and sat before the desk.

"Shall we keep this simple and agree that you'll come and assist me when you have the time?" Sanguini asked. They both knew this whole assistant business was mostly just a cover but it would need to be convincing enough. Having Harry help him teach some of the lower year classes and plan the lessons would be expected and that they would do, but there was no need to agree on a stiff schedule to accomplish this.

"Yes. That way I can use you as an excuse whenever I need time away from my friends", Harry swiftly agreed.

"Are you not getting along well with them?"

"It's not that we fight or anything. It just that... They're children, you know? They expect me to be as well and I don't think I am anymore", Harry explained running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"No, no you're not", the vampire agreed and smiled sadly. It was a tragedy, the stolen childhood.

"I had a private lesson with the old coot", Harry said changing the subject, "It was about as useful as I had expected. That made me decide I want to share one of my biggest secrets with you. Dumbledore wouldn't be happy with me if he knew I'm telling you this, but frankly, I give very little about his opinion right now. Would you like to know what makes _me_ the Chosen One?"

"Will you get in trouble telling me this?" Sanguini asked but it was obvious he was simply dying of curiosity.

"I might, but we're not telling anyone else that you know so let's hope not", Harry replied and then recited the prophecy word by word after which he added: "No one but you, me and Dumbledore know the prophecy in its entirety. Ron and Hermione I told I'm the one who has to either kill Voldemort or die trying. Voldemort knows the first part but not the rest of it."

"How utterly fascinating", Sanguini muttered, "I wonder what 'the Power the Dark Lord knows not' is..."

"I wouldn't know. If Dumbledore does, he sure hasn't told me", Harry grumbled.

"No matter. I'm sure we'll come across something before the time comes", Sanguini walked around the table to lay a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder, "You shouldn't worry about it too much. We will figure this out."

"I'm just so sick and tired of..." Harry buried his face into his hands.

"I know", Sanguini quietly said, "I know."

Harry took a deep breath and looked at Sanguini. "It's been a week." He offered his wrist to the suddenly very eager looking vampire. It was as pleasant as ever and Harry couldn't help but to sigh: "If people knew it felt this good they'd be much more willing to do some donating."

Sanguini chuckled and licked his lips clean. "I'm afraid not all vampires are as careful as me. You would be wise to keep in mind that letting a vampire feed on you can have very dire consequences. Not all vampires have as good self-control as I and with blood as _delicious_ as yours it wouldn't be difficult at all to over-indulge and drain you _dry_."

"So keep my blood to just the two of us?" Harry smiled softly.

"I would appreciate it if you did not share with others, yes", Sanguini said and ran his fingertips along Harry's jawline gently.

"Mmm, possessive possessive", Harry teased.

"Perhaps so", the vampire agreed and then retreated back to his seat on the other side of his desk. They talked about the lesson plans of the week before Harry had to return to the tower feeling strangely content. It felt like the weight on his shoulders was just a little lighter now that he had shared his worries.

O O O

It was two weeks later when Harry decided to share his suspicions about Malfoy with Sanguini. Ron and Hermione certainly weren't as worried as he was. Something about the scene in Borgin and Burke's in the summer had haunted him since and nowadays it wasn't too rare to see Malfoy looking tired. Harry told of these observations of his one rainy afternoon.

"That does sound strange", Sanguini agreed, "Perhaps I'll do some sniffing. Once I have his scent I should be able to tell exactly where in the castle he spends his free time and follow him disillusioned even into the Slytherin territory."

"Really?" Harry was surprised by the serious response he received. He should have known better, but a part of him had still expected Sanguini to dismiss his worries like the adults usually did.

"Really", Sanguini confirmed.

A few days later they were following Malfoy after dinner to the Room of Requirement as they had planned. Sanguini had found the scent of Malfoy especially thick in the corridor outside the RoR and so it hadn't been too big a stretch to assume Malfoy spent most of his evenings there. Thanks to a handy charm that muffled their foot-steps and other sounds caused by movement, a disillusionment charm and Harry's Invisibility Cloak, they succeeded in slipping into the room right after Malfoy before the door had the chance to close. It wasn't enough to know where the ferret was up to something, they needed to know exactly what he was doing.

They watched as Malfoy consulted several scrolls of parchment, cast spells on a cabinet and then went back to studying the scrolls. It wasn't too long before the boy began cursing in frustration. He kicked the cabinet and growled: "How damn hard can it be! For Merlin's sake you're a Vanishing Cabinet so Vanish people!" He rubbed his face with both hands and muttered: "How can the Dark Lord expect me to get his people into Hogwarts if he himself can't?"

Harry decided they had heard enough and so he removed his Cloak. Sanguini wouldn't be showing himself unless absolutely necessary. "So that's what you've been up to."

Malfoy whirled around to stare at his most hated classmate, "Potter", he growled and a look of panic flashed in his eyes.

"Calm down", Harry said as Malfoy moved to grab the wand he had laid on a shelf. Malfoy's fingers stopped just a few inches from his wand and his eyes took in the sight of Harry standing there calm and without his wand drawn.

"What do you want, Potter?" Malfoy snapped.

"You obviously don't want to be doing this", Harry gestured towards the Cabinet next to Malfoy, "So why are you?"

"Why do you think!" the blond sneered.

"Because you have to. What I want to know is _why_ you feel you have to. I would think you're relatively safe here at Hogwarts. So what does Voldemort hold over you?" Harry asked ignoring the flinch the feared name caused. When he received no response but a nasty glare, he added: "I can't help you unless you tell me."

"What could you _possibly_ do to help?" Malfoy laughed in a rather hysterical manner.

"I don't know. Unless you tell me what exactly you need help with", Harry reasoned. Malfoy was obviously a little unhinged so he had to be carefully calm to avoid setting the Slytherin off.

"He's got my _mother_!" Malfoy finally admitted and let out a sound that was awfully similar to a sob.

"Ah yes. I imagine Lucius is untouchable in Azkaban and without him Narcissa is defenseless", Harry muttered and then said: "So we need to fetch Narcissa and help her hide in a safe house. That shouldn't be too impossible."

"We can have Kreacher pop her into one of the Black properties", Sanguini whispered to him.

"Does your mother need convincing or would she leave given the chance?" Harry asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"If I send someone to fetch her and take her to perfectly safe place until the war is over, will she agree to go with them without a fuss?" Harry reworded.

"You would help us?" Malfoy asked disbelief clear in his tone, "Why? We're enemies!"

"Since believing in the goodness of my heart is obviously too much for you, how about we call it responsibility. I would prefer it if you told this to no one, but I am the current Lord Black and the last I checked you and your mother were part of the Black family, despite the name."

"You're Lord Black?" Surprised didn't even begin to cover it.

"A title Sirius Black, my godfather, willed to me. Now, this is what we'll do. You will write a letter to your mother explaining she'll be taken to one of the empty Black properties where she will be living until it safe for her to leave. I'll send my house-elf with the letter to pick her up and then we're going to have a talk about what exactly good old Voldie asked you to do for him."

Malfoy nodded meekly and did as he was told while Harry called and instructed Kreacher on what he needed to do. The instructions included strict orders on what the elf could do for Narcissa and what he should do in certain situations. Harry didn't want to leave any unnecessary maneuvering room for the sneaky house-elf, he had learned that much with the whole mess that lead to Sirius' demise.

After the elf was gone with the letter Harry ordered: "Talk."

"The Dark Lord ordered me to find a way to sneak Death Eaters through the Hogwarts' wards", Draco reluctantly said, took a deep breath and added: "and to kill Dumbledore."

Harry looked at his classmate incredulously, "He wants _you_ to kill _Dumbledore_?"

"_Yes_", Draco snapped.

"He's either completely off his rocker or he expects you to fail", Harry muttered, "Either way you're obviously going to stop trying to accomplish either."

"He'll know I've turned traitor", Malfoy said sounding horrified and he was, for good reason too.

"You're stuck at the school and he knows it. We'll have to come up with an excuse why you can't go home for the holidays. If Voldemort is still alive and kicking when summer arrives we'll think of something but I'm hoping it won't come to that. In any case, you won't have to face him so he can't go through your memories to see if you're lying or not. So lie. Whatever way it is you use to communicate, tell him you're trying to fix this cursed Cabinet and planning Dumbledore's demise even in your dreams."

"This won't work", Malfoy said looking doubtful.

"It will. If you have news or questions, come to me. If you want to send a letter to Narcissa do it via Kreacher. I'll ask him to play the role of a post owl. Okay?"

Malfoy nodded and without further conversation Harry left the Room of Requirement knowing Sanguini was following not far behind.

O O O

It was on a Monday halfway through October that Harry had his second "lesson" with Dumbledore during which Harry was once again told about the locket and how it had been sold. The Headmaster also showed him a memory of his, of him visiting the muggle orphanage little Tom lived in. Harry didn't know how to feel about the memory and so he made his way to Sanguini's office as soon as he was out of Dumbledore's.

Sanguini had wards on the office door so that while anyone could get in, he was always notified no matter where he was. He wasn't in his office when Harry entered but it took him no longer than a minute to make his way from his personal quarters next door.

"How did your lesson go?" The vampire asked taking his seat across from Harry.

Harry told him all about the memories he had been shown and with as much detail as he was able. He also expressed his worry about how Dumbledore had underlined the fact that Tom had been a collector of sorts. "I'd be willing to bet this tendency to collect stuff will prove important."

"I'm sure you're right", Sanguini sighed and leaned back in his seat, "Perhaps the ring was something Voldemort collected and cursed."

"But why would Dumbledore have it? I would think Voldemort would keep all his collected items near to himself. You don't think the old coot fought Voldemort during the summer?"

"There's little point in theorizing with this few facts", Sanguini shook his head, "We will have to wait until we know more."

"Merlin, why can't the old coot just spill whatever it is I need to know and get on with it!" Harry ranted. "You have no idea how frustrating it is to sit there in his office craving information and all he gives me are bread crumbs!"

"Patience, Harry." Sanguini decided it was best to change subject. "How are things with your friends?"

Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead, he had a headache coming, "Ron's still nagging me about Quidditch and that always starts a verbal battle between him and Hermione. Even though they fight about me and how I'm supposed to be spending my time, they somehow succeed in completely forgetting I'm present. They should just shag and get it over with."

"There does seem to be an awful lot of sexual tensions between the two of them", Sanguini agreed amused.

"And they are totally blind to it", Harry sniggered.

"At least they aren't paying too much attention to the two of us."

"Hermione's like a bloodhound when it comes to mysteries. If she were to get even a sniff of something off about you, she'd be hunting for information until she found it."

"Which is why both you and I will be extremely careful about keeping my blood-sucking tendencies a secret", Sanguini smiled.

"Is that your way of telling me you're hungry?" Harry teased. He knew it wasn't, as Sanguini never asked to be fed, not even indirectly. But that didn't keep Harry from teasing the poor vampire. Harry offered his wrist and it was attacked without hesitation. The feeding left Harry speechless until after he had had a moment or few to come down from the high and he had downed a blood replenishing potion. Sanguini was still kneeling next to his chair and Harry couldn't help but pet the silky black hair gently. "Happy?" He asked. There was always something very pleased-looking in the vampire's eyes after feeding. It made Harry's heart beat just a little quicker.

"Yes, very much so", Sanguini purred and got up to his feet when Harry's hand stopped petting him, "You should be getting back to the tower, my sweet. It's already past the curfew." He turned to the desk and wrote Harry a note to excuse him breaking the curfew just in case someone caught him on his way to the tower. He handed it wordlessly to the boy, it wasn't the first time.

"Yeah, good night, Sanguini", Harry smiled and left. He felt warm, warmer than usual and he had a strange feeling that it was because of those two words no one had called him before... _My sweet... _

O O O

Harry's performance in all of his classes had been steadily improving. Harry himself was a bit surprised by how easily most things came to him now that he was taking studying more seriously. It also helped that when he didn't understand something, he could ask his ancient vampiric friend. Hermione's instructions were very thorough and all, but the main points tended to get buried by the heaps of less significant details.

One of the major advantages about becoming the DADA teacher's assistant was that it made it very easy and almost expected for Sanguini to teach him everything he would be teaching the classes and more. This meant that before October was out, Harry had learned most of what the seventh years would be learning.

Occlumency was one thing that he had no one to help him with. Sanguini was as a vampire unable to perform Legilimency or Occlumency. Vampires had such mental barriers that no one could mess with their minds. The barrier unfortunately also blocked them from reading the memories of the others. All Harry could do was to practice Occlumency according to the few books he had found in the school library and hope he had succeeded in creating good enough barriers to keep curious old coots and dark lords out of his head.

It was nearing the end of November when the two of them began talking about the excuse Malfoy would be giving to the Dark Lord about why he was staying at Hogwarts for the Christmas Holidays. They came up with an extra credit project that the best students of the sixth year would be expected to take on. It was very convenient that the top students were Harry and Draco, and it was logical that Harry as the DADA assistant could do the project wherever he was and without assistance. Harry sent a message to Malfoy telling him of the project and that Professor Sandman would be asking the two of them to stay after class the next day to discuss it.

A week later Malfoy snatched Harry in the corridor and pushed him into an empty classroom. After locking charms and silencing wards were cast the blond turned to Harry and said: "Snape is pushing me about my mission."

Harry's eyebrow rose in surprise, "Oh _really_..?"

"He's trying to make me tell him what I was tasked to do and to let him help me", Malfoy explained further, "I've been denying him all information but he isn't letting it go. What do I do?" There was distress in his tone and it was no wonder. Snape was observant and damn persistent.

"Calm down", Harry said, "I'll handle it. Not quite sure how, yet, but I'll figure it out."

"Not very reassuring, Potter!" Malfoy snarled. He wasn't too pleased by the fact that his life was essentially in Harry's hands.

"Keep doing what you've been doing, avoid Snape when possible and relax. I'll handle it", Harry assured and walked to the door.

"Have you told Dumbledore about..?" the blond hesitantly asked.

"I'm not telling Dumbledore _anything_ nowadays", Harry smirked.

"That's a bit hard to believe, his Golden Boy as you are", Malfoy sneered.

"His Golden Boy? Yes, It's better that everyone thinks that", Harry muttered waving his wand to dispel the locking and silencing before walking out.

O O O

Harry waited until right before curfew to sneak into the dungeons. Thanks to the Marauders' Map it was easy enough to locate the Potion Master's quarters and the entrance leading to them. The entrance was guarded by a portrait of an old man in a potions' laboratory and Harry said to him: "I need to talk with Snape."

"Children have no manners these days..." The man muttered and left the frame to alert the Professor. A couple of minutes later the door opened and Harry wrestled his face into a fake smile as he saw the deadly glare of the nastiest professor of Hogwarts.

"What do you want, Potter?" Snape snarled. It wasn't unusual for students to come see him in his quarters but it was strange for the student to be someone non-Slytherin. As far as Snape knew, only the students of his house knew where exactly his quarters were located. He was already planning detention for the fool who told the location to Potter if he ever caught the one to blame.

"We need to have a little chat", Harry answered and pushed past the imposing man into the cozy living room.

"You dare to – ", Snape growled shutting the door with a bang but got no further as his tirade was cut off.

"Calm down and listen", Harry snapped and flopped down on a very comfortable dark brown leather couch. He ignored the man looming above him and continued: "I'm taking a huge leap of faith by coming here, you know. I'm trusting the old coot's trust in you and your light leanings. I'm also trusting that you're _clever_ enough to think _on your own_ and defy the old coot a little when the situation calls for it." He paused to take in the man's reaction but received nothing but a scowl. "You've done a lot keep me alive and I appreciate that. On the old coot's orders, no doubt, but I appreciate it nonetheless. Has the old coot told you why Voldemort wants me dead so bad?" He pointedly ignored the twitch the feared name caused. "I bet you've gotten no explanation at all. We both know how our beloved Headmaster enjoys keeping all the cards to himself. He told me the prophecy after the Department of Mysteries. Do you want to hear it?"

Snape looked at Harry clearly suspicious and asked: "Why would you tell me that?"

"I'm going to tell you many things tonight and then you'll decide if you want to help me with something or not", Harry calmly replied.

"Why?" Snape demanded.

"You forced my hand", Harry admitted, keeping secret the fact that Draco was involved for now. Whether that was to speed things along or to simply enjoy the control he had, was unclear even to him. Without giving Snape the chance to push the matter, Harry took a deep breath and recited the prophecy.

Snape sat on armchair three feet away and thought about the prophecy in silence. Eventually Harry said: "The old coot has always kept things from me, is still keeping things from me. I'm the one who has to end the snake bastard. How am I supposed to accomplish this when the old coot refuses to give me all the necessary information and training? I don't like it and that's why I and certain associates of mine have decided we'll play the old coots game, yes, but we'll also work in the shadows to end this cursed war."

"And what could you possibly do that Dumbledore isn't already doing?" Snape sneered. "Arrogant, even more so than your father."

"I hear you've been trying to push Malfoy into revealing what tasks were assigned to him", Harry changed the subject. He didn't want to get stuck in a battle of insults with the professor. He didn't have all night and there were still things to discuss. "Your Lord told Draco Malfoy to kill Albus Dumbledore and find a way to sneak the Death Eaters into Hogwarts."

"You had another vision?" Snape asked sounding rather curious.

"No. I _asked_." Harry chuckled and explained: "I caught Malfoy working on a plan and having a breakdown so I took advantage of his weak mental state and pushed him until he cracked. He admitted to these tasks and has since then been on my side. He was only working for your Lord because he had to, to keep his mother safe. I helped get his mother into a safe house where she'll be staying until the war is over and now he's reporting progress but making none on the killing and sneaking in -front."

"And I'm to believe all this?" Snape snorted shaking his head a little.

"Do feel free to confirm this with Malfoy", Harry said, "Though I would appreciate it if you didn't go to the old coot with this. I want to keep him in the dark. He tends to meddle and snoop and that could complicate things. Besides, he keeps things from me, I keep things from him. It's only fair, right?"

"You want me to choose you and your _imaginary_ allies over Dumbledore?" Snape sneered.

"I didn't have to come here tonight", Harry pointed out, "I didn't have to share all this information with you. But I did. Can _Dumbledore_ say the same?" Harry stood and walked to the door, "I ask you not to stand in my way if helping is too much to ask."

"I shall think on it", Snape reluctantly muttered and then Harry was gone.

O O O

In the early evening of the day before the beginning of the Christmas holidays Harry visited Sanguini as they both knew he would even without voicing it in any way. Sanguini would need to feed now so that he could go through the holidays without.

"What are your plans for the holidays?" Harry asked as he took his usual seat.

Sanguini smiled at the lack of greeting. It was a silly thing to smile about, but the way it showed him how comfortable Harry was with him made him feel all warm and fuzzy. "I'll be staying here at Hogwarts most of the time, as you well know, have a few sessions with young Malfoy to enforce the image that he's working on the project, attend the social gatherings of the staff."

"Ah, teacher-y stuff, I get it", Harry chuckled.

"I'm sure you will have a much better time at your friend's place."

Harry sighed deeply, "I don't know. You know I haven't been too close to Ron this year. The holidays might turn out to be the epitome of uncomfortable."

"You like the Weasley twins", Sanguini pointed out, "The two of them should be taking part in the Christmas celebrations with their family."

"Not sure meeting them is worth being trapped with Ron _and_ Ginny that long."

"You are being very negative about this", Sanguini teased, "Where's your Christmas cheer?"

"Oh stuff it", Harry lightly laughed and then gestured for the vampire to come to him. It had become a routine for them. Harry would invite the vampire to him and Sanguini would kneel or crouch next to him. Harry would then offer his wrist and the drinking would take place. Often, as he did now, Harry would fondly pet the vampire's silky hair afterwards.

At this point Sanguini usually fetched the Blood Replenishing Potion but this time they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Sanguini glanced at Harry, judged him well enough, even without the potion, and then retreated back to his seat behind the desk in a flash. He magicked the door open.

Snape walked in to the room with his usual slight scowl in place, "Good evening. I hope I'm not interrupting anything _important_." There was a sneer at the end, directed towards Harry.

"No no, we were simply exchanging a few last words concerning the project both Harry and Mr Malfoy are taking part in", Sanguini replied with a pleasant smile.

"Ah yes, I did hear Mr Malfoy complaining about being forced to stay here", Snape said to his fellow professor, though his eyes were fixed on the sole student present. _He looks pale_. Brewing required a good eye for differences in color and his eyes were rarely wrong no matter the lighting. And now his eyes were telling him Harry was looking ill. _Or anemic_. He didn't say anything, though, it wouldn't do for him to show concern for the boy.

"I'm sure", Harry snorted.

"What can I help you with, Severus?" Sanguini asked before Snape had the chance to reply to Harry's remark. They didn't need a verbal battle right now and this was his way of preventing one.

"The Headmaster asked me to come advice you on tomorrow's safety precautions and guard duties."

"Yes, I imagine there's a great deal of danger involved in most of the student body moving from here to the Hogsmeade station and there are only so many of us to guard them", Sanguini then turned to Harry, "Harry, perhaps you should return to the Gryffindor tower."

"Right, I'll be going then", Harry said and as he walked past the Potions Master he smirked at him just to make sure all the man's attention was on him. Before he reached the door he felt a heavy vial settle into his pocket magicked there by Sanguini while Snape's attention was away from him. "Good night, Nigel, Snape", and Harry was out the door.

"Impudent little..." He heard Snape growling through the closed door and went on his merry way.

O O O

It took even less time for his friends to corner him than he had thought. As soon as they were on the Hogwarts Express Ron, Ginny and Hermione practically pushed Harry into an empty compartment and Hermione began: "Harry, we are worried about you."

Harry would have much preferred to have this confrontation at the Burrow. Hermione wasn't spending the holidays there and 2 on 1 sounded a lot better than 3 on 1. "There's no reason for you to be."

"You've been distancing yourself from us!" Hermione whined.

"We hardly ever see you anymore. You spend all your time with Professor Sandman", Ginny added.

"And you're no fun anymore. No jokes, no Q_uidditch_. That can't be healthy!" Ron looked like he was seconds away from stomping his foot.

"It's great that you're taking your studies seriously, Harry, but couldn't you maybe try studying with us..?" Hermione tentatively asked.

"You're a – ", _distraction_, Harry begun to say but stopped. There is such a thing as too honest. "Look, I know I've been busy this year, but can you really blame me? There's a murdering psychopath after me and I'd prefer not to get any more people caught in the crossfire."

"Oh Harry..." Hermione sadly shook her head, "This war isn't solely for you to fight."

"Maybe not, but I'll be the one to end it and if I have to dedicate my life to it until then, then so be it", Harry walked out of the compartment without looking back.

O O O

Harry spend the next few days making it abundantly clear that he had no intention of continuing discussing the matter and eventually Ron and Ginny gave up. He put a lot of effort into making sure all the adults present, especially Remus, Molly and Arthur, thought there was nothing wrong or unusual. It was like playing a role constantly, it was tiring, but Harry knew not doing it would have complicated the matters.

The Christmas celebrations were interrupted by a very surprising visitor. The Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour turned up with Percy. Harry let himself be pulled to the side with the man and as soon as the Minister told him he had wanted to meet for a long time and that Harry was the symbol of hope no matter what the truth behind his status as the Chosen One was, Harry knew why the Minister was there.

"You want to use me as the poster boy to improve the image of the Ministry?" Harry chuckled and promptly threw away all facade of politeness and meekness. He had something the Minister wanted. He _was_ something the Minister wanted and that meant he had all the leverage.

"I wouldn't put it quite like that..." The Minister tried to explain.

"But that is the gist of it. I see..." Harry adopted a thoughtful expression and after a moment said: "It's not that I'm completely against the idea. It is however impossible for me to show open support for the system that dooms _innocent_ people to Azkaban with _no_ trial and is full of easily bribed people."

"What would a sixteen-year-old child like yourself understand about – ", Scrimgeour growled.

"Now now, Minister. We were doing so well and then you start getting all _hostile_ on me", Harry chuckled. "You want me to show the public I think Ministry is doing a great job? Then do a great job! I'm not asking for a _miracle_, little improvements will do."

"As I thought, you're Dumbledore's little puppet who – "

"I'm Dumbledore's _nothing_", Harry snapped and then plastered a smile back on his face and added: "Let's keep the old coot out of this, okay? No matter what you or he might wish to think, I'm my own man and can make my own decisions. Happy Christmas, Minister." He returned to the living room where all the others were gathered. The Minister didn't follow him.

Posted 07-18-2012


	4. Revelations

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Revelations**

It may have been the lighting, but Harry thought Sanguini looked a little pale when he first saw the vampire after the holidays during dinner. He had originally planned on waiting until the next day but he changed his mind. As soon as all the other sixth year Gryffindor boys were asleep, Harry sneaked out and to Sanguini's office. Sanguini wasn't in the office when he arrived, but it took the vampire less than quarter of a minute to arrive, alerted by the wards on the door.

"You look pale", Harry softly said as he took his usual seat and gestured to the vampire to feed. Sanguini nodded but said nothing. He sank his teeth into the smooth flesh of Harry's wrist and his eyes closed in bliss. Harry petted the man's hair in silence for a long moment after the feeding before asking: "How was your holiday?"

"Severus is suspicious of me", Sanguini replied standing up but instead of retreating behind the desk like he usually did, he sat on the edge of his desk. "I think he noticed something when he interrupted us before Christmas. He's been watching me like a hawk. I would even go as far to say he has guessed I'm a vampire and is simply looking for proof. He's paying the most attention to me when I'm eating or in direct sunlight. I think he too noticed my paling complexion. No doubt seeing me looking better tomorrow will be correctly interpreted as my blood supplier returning to the castle and feeding me."

Harry absentmindedly bit the tip of his thumb as he mulled over the situation and then said: "This could complicate things. It all depends on whether he chooses to confront one of us about it or goes to Dumbledore with his suspicions."

"Do you think we should tell him before he has the chance to go to the Headmaster?"

"How big of a loss would it be if Nigel Sandman was outed as a vampire?" Harry asked in return.

Sanguini shrugged in a very elegant manner, "I have several identities I use regularly. It wouldn't cause me much damage."

"Then I think we could wait until we see what Snape does. If he doesn't go to the old coot with this then we can probably trust him with other matters as well", Harry said.

"I agree", Sanguini smiled.

"I got a note from Dumbledore", Harry said changing the subject, "I've got another lesson tomorrow evening at eight." He wasn't too excited about it and it was made obvious by his tone.

"Perhaps this time he will tell you something we can use", Sanguini tried to be optimistic.

Harry smiled and said: "Thanks."

"For what?" The vampire asked tilting his head a little in confusion.

"For trying to cheer me up. For always listening to me whine with that incredible patience of yours", Harry explained and then sighed, "I need to get back. The longer I'm gone the more likely it is someone will notice. Good night, Sanguini." With a last smile goodbye he walked out.

O O O

The next day there was an announcement about the beginning of Apparition lessons and the sixth years were buzzing about it all day. It would be an useful ability yes, even Harry admitted that, but it was uncomfortable and didn't really warrant all the fuss. Harry was glad to escape the common room in the evening when the appointment with the Headmaster rolled around.

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore", Harry greeted and gave the man his best fake friendly smile as he sat down.

"Good evening, my boy. I heard you met the Minister at the Burrow." He hid it well, but Harry could see that he was just a little worried about what Harry may have told him.

"Yes, he wanted me to play the Ministry's poster boy. I politely refused and told him I couldn't possibly act like I support what they are doing until they are doing something worth supporting." Harry said and added: "He was most displeased."

Dumbledore laughed lightly, "I'm sure he was. I'm sure he was." After clearing his throat he launched on to a description of Tom Riddle's years at Hogwarts. How the boy had been sorted into Slytherin and how he had been the model student, beautiful and smart, never gave any indication of being aware of his Slytherin heritage. He told Harry how Riddle had already back then attracted all kinds of people to him and had already then begun to form a group that would in the future become the first Death Eaters. Riddle had covered all the tracks of his wrong doings perfectly. Dumbledore told Harry how Riddle had found that his father had to have been a muggle and used his middle name, Marvolo, to track down his relatives from his mother's side, the Gaunts. Dumbledore then gestured to the Pensieve on the desk between them and they sank into a memory.

It was a memory of young Riddle meeting his Uncle Morfin in the Gaunts' shack and Harry noted the locket was mentioned again. Dumbledore told him his theory about what exactly had happened: Riddle had killed his father and his father's parents framing Morfin for their murders and he had taken the Gaunt ring.

Dumbledore showed him another memory, a memory of Horace Slughorn, in which Riddle was asking the professor about Horcruxes. It was obvious to Harry, and Dumbledore confirmed it as well, that the memory had been tampered with. "It is a shame we failed to persuade Horace to teach here this year", Dumbledore sighed, "I'm sure you, my boy, would have had much more success coaxing the true memory from him."

"And the missing information is important?" Harry asked.

"Vital", the man answered and then said thoughtfully: "Perhaps I'll be able to arrange a meeting for the two of you."

"I'm sure you will", _but before that I'll be doing some arranging of my own_.

O O O

The next day after classes Harry told Sanguini about his _lesson_ with Dumbledore. When at the end of his recounting he mentioned the word 'horcrux', Sanguini went dead still and expressionless.

"Horcruxes?" The vampire weakly said, "Voldemort made _Horcruxes_?" He rose to his feet and did something he practically never did: He paced. "Not just one, but several? Of course, the Diary must have been one and judging by the memories the Headmaster has been showing I would bet the Gaunt ring and the Slytherin's locket are as well. Though I guess he would have taken care of the ring as soon as he got his hands on it. But if _He_ made three of them, then who's to say there aren't more. That must be what the Headmaster thinks Slughorn knows. We really have to get our hands on – "

Harry cut him off by raising his voice, "Stop." The man stopped, both the speaking and the pacing, and turned to Harry. Once Harry knew he had his attention he asked: "What _is_ a _Horcrux_?"

Sanguini sighed and sank into his chair, "A Horcrux is an object in which someone has hidden a piece of their soul to attain immortality."

A heavy silence fell and then Harry said: "Oh _great_! I don't need to kill him just once but Merlin knows how many times!" Sanguini couldn't help but chuckle despite the utter seriousness of the situation. "So we'll need to go and see Sluggie, then?" Sanguini nodded and Harry continued: "We better do that soon because things are bound to turn more complicated once the old coot has the chance to meddle."

"I believe you know a way or two to sneak out of Hogwarts undetected?"

"I believe I do, though the old coot may have put up some detection wards around the passageways", Harry said.

"Do you have your Cloak and Map with you?" Harry nodded and Sanguini said: "No time like the present."

They chose to use the passage that began from beneath the one-eyed witch statue nearby and ended in the cellar of Honeydukes. There were detection wards at both ends but the two of them were confident the Invisibility Cloak could fool those. Honeydukes was already closed so sneaking out was rather easy. Sanguini Apparated them both to where Harry remembered Slughorn living and lucky for them, the man hadn't moved.

Sanguini hid under the Cloak and Harry knocked the door. Slughorn was surprised to see him there, especially since it was the middle of the school year, "Harry! Come in, come in!" Sanguini wasn't visible but Harry knew he came in as well. Slughorn lead Harry to the living room and they sat down. "What are you doing here, my dear boy? And without supervision at that!"

"How many Horcruxes did Tom Riddle make?" Harry decided to just cut the chase.

Slughorn spluttered, "I-I didn't... I d-don't – !"

"That's what you hid from the memory you gave Dumbledore, right? You hid that you told Riddle exactly what Horcruxes are and I bet you're the only person who has a clue about how many Horcruxes Riddle was planning on making", Harry said in a cold and calm tone, "I don't blame you for telling him. He was very charming, wasn't he? You know the number he had on his mind and you know the knowledge is enough to get you killed. That's why you're so determined to remain out of Riddle's radar. You want him dead as much as I do, preferably _before_ he has the chance to kill you. Tell me how many Horcruxes I need to look for and we're one step closer to that."

By the end of Harry's speech Slughorn was sobbing. It was a sorry sight. Eventually he stuttered: "Se-seven."

Harry rose from his seat and said: "Thank you. Dumbledore is planning on arranging a meeting between you and I. He thinks I can persuade you to give me the real memory. If it comes to that, I would greatly appreciate it if you refrained from mentioning this meeting to him."

"Albus doesn't know you're here?" Slughorn asked with wide-eyes.

"No. You know how he is. Getting information out of him is like _pulling teeth_. If he's not interested in sharing then I hardly have to do the same, right?" Harry chuckled.

"I hope you know what you're doing. This is no time to play games", Slughorn sighed.

"Oh no, I'm not the one playing around. I assure you, my every action is to bring the end to this war quicker. Dumbledore's meddling would hold me back. His need to control everyone's actions like puppeteer is nothing but a hindrance." Harry snarled and then blanked his face and tone out, "I'll be going now. Hopefully the next time we meet will be on less dire circumstances." He swept out of the house making sure to open the door wide enough to allow Sanguini easy passage.

The two of them returned to Hogwarts the same way they came out while discussing the meeting. "So, seven of them", Harry sighed.

"We already know of three and two of them have been destroyed", Sanguini pointed out.

"Yes, and Dumbledore might know of more of them but hasn't yet gotten to it", Harry said and then asked: "Where do you think Riddle would keep these slivers of his soul?"

"Somewhere separated, safe and significant, I imagine", Sanguini answered.

"Like maybe the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry grinned, "As the Slytherin's Heir and the only Parselmouth back then, that sounds safe and significant to me."

"Yes, and Hogwarts in itself must have been special to him. The first true home he had, as I'm sure he never saw the orphanage as such."

"So we're making a trip to the Chamber on Sunday, then?" Harry suggested, "We have an Apparition lesson on Saturday."

"You think it will take longer than an hour or two?" Surely they could make the trip on one of the evenings before then.

"The Chamber is rather sizable and if we want to be thorough, it's going to take a little longer than that."

"Sunday it is", Sanguini agreed. He was rather looking forward to seeing _the_ Chamber of Secrets. He was a curious kind of person, after all.

O O O

"I can't believe there's nothing but bones left", Harry gaped at the skeleton of the Basilisk he killed less than four years previously.

"I suspect there's some kind of a spell in the Chamber's walls to speed up decomposition and vanish waste. I doubt Slytherin found the rotting bodies of the rodents killed by the Basilisk's stare very pleasing", Sanguini reasoned.

"You're probably right about that", Harry agreed and then walked towards the huge statue of Slytherin. He hissed to it: _/Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!/ _The statue's mouth opened and Harry stared at it blankly before turning to Sanguini, "How are we going to get up there?"

Sanguini smirked. He didn't smirk often so it was understandable that the expression scared the living daylight out of Harry, right? Right. Before Harry had the chance to defend himself, he was scooped up and then they were flying, or that's what it felt like, to the open mouth of the statue. The vampire set him down and Harry took a moment to calm his racing heart before asking: "Was that a jump or were we flying?" The vampire smirked, said nothing and began walking down the passage. "Sanguini? Hey! Can you fly!" No reply. "Sanguini~!" Harry whined and followed the sadistically pleased blood-sucker.

Three hours later and all they had found was the Basilisk's den, which was quite frankly disgusting with the sheer amount of tiny little bones it was littered with. "Okay, so maybe he didn't have the chance to bring a Horcrux here", Harry sighed, "I'm sure he would agree with me that this is the perfect place if only he could get in here now that he's no longer a student."

"Maybe there is a Horcrux in Hogwarts, just not in the Chamber", Sanguini muttered and asked: "Where would you hide something important? You know Hogwarts better than most, right?"

"Where would I hide something..." Harry stared into space for a while and then exclaimed: "The Room of Requirement! If Riddle knows of its existence then it would be the second most perfect place for him to hide something. Better than the Chamber when it comes to accessibility."

They used Harry's Firebolt to get back to the Myrtle's bathroom and from there they made their way to the RoR (after a couple of cleansing charms on their robes because no one could visit the Chamber without taking half a pound of dirt with them). Harry paced concentrating on the thought _'I need the room where Riddle hid his Horcrux'_. He wasn't entirely convinced it would work but the door opening to a room full of junk was promising. Closer inspection showed that it was the same room where the Vanishing Cabinet was located.

"How are we going about this?" Harry asked. "I mean it could be anything..." He eyed the shelf-fulls of stuff warily.

"Give me a moment", Sanguini said and closed his eyes. He concentrated on sensing the magic around them and when he opened his eyes, he had locked on to the strongest and darkest magical signature in the room, "This way", he lead Harry to one of the shelves after a moment of staring at the objects on the shelf he pointed at a diadem, "I believe this is it."

"It looks kind of familiar", Harry mused tilting his head like another perspective would remind him where he'd seen it before.

"I believe it belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw", Sanguini said, "I remember seeing a picture of her portrait in _Hogwarts, a History_ and she was wearing a diadem like this one."

"I can see why Riddle would find things owned by the Founders tempting", Harry smiled, "Perhaps he used something of Hufflepuff's and Gryffindor's as well."

"Perhaps", Sanguini agreed.

"How do we destroy it?"

"I remember reading Horcruxes are very durable. I believe Fiendfyre would do the job and judging by your experience with the Diary, basilisk venom works as well", Sanguini answered and then added: "I can burn it but we'll need more space than this unless we want to burn all this other stuff as well."

Harry took off his robe and wrapped the Diadem into it avoiding touching it with bare hands. He didn't want to know what curses Riddle had placed on it because there were sure to be some.

"Grab that as well", Sanguini said pointing at a obsidian stone lying on the shelf next to the Diadem.

"What is it?" Harry asked but did as he was told and took the stone as well into his robe covered hands.

"I believe that is the curse on the DADA post", Sanguini answered.

"Seriously!"

"Yes. I did some research before asking for this job and I noticed no one has been able to hold this job longer than a year since one Tom Marvolo Riddle applied for it and was denied. As to why I believe that particular stone holds the curse... Obsidian is excellent for containing things like curses and charms and it was left there next to the Diadem and presumably at the same time." Sanguini explained with small smile on his lips. "I only ever planned on staying here for this one year but now since we're getting rid of the curse, perhaps I shall reconsider."

"Brilliant!" Harry exclaimed with a wide grin. To be completely truthful, he had been feeling a little sad thinking Sanguini might not be teaching at Hogwarts the following year. This was a huge weight off his chest.

The walked out of the room then paced in front of it again, this time requesting a bare and spacious room. The Diadem was set on the floor in the middle and Harry retreated next to the doorway. Sanguini Fiendfyred the Diadem and the stone leaving behind nothing but melted pools of metal and obsidian. Sanguini made sure there was no feel of magic in them and they were done for the day.

O O O

It was few nights later that Harry brought up the Prophecy again: "We still have no clue about what 'the Power the Dark Lord knows not' might be referring to."

Sanguini stared into space for a moment and then asked: "Have you thought about searching the Black library for something you could use? I'm sure Tom Riddle went through Hogwarts' library when he was a student here. There might be some newer books he's unfamiliar with but I doubt they hold anything powerful enough. I'm guessing we need something old and powerful, obscure."

"I could have Kreacher bring the books here but going through all of them will take more time than we have", Harry replied.

"We'll need help then", Sanguini smiled.

"And who are we going to ask? I don't know if you've noticed but we are rather lacking in allies at the moment", Harry huffed.

"I happen to know of one young blond-haired man with both time and an excuse to spend time away from his friends."

"Malfoy?" Harry groaned, "Do I have to?"

"Ask him. It's for the Greater Good", Sanguini chuckled.

"I'm _quitting_ the Greater Good as soon as Riddle is dead", Harry sighed.

"I don't think it's something one can quit just like that", The vampire pointed out with an amused smile, "It's not a job."

"Fine, I'll ask", Harry agreed and called for his house-elf: "Kreacher!" The elf popped into the room and Harry said to him: "Kreacher, I want a complete list of all the books in the Black library and I want it as soon as possible. After I have had a chance to review the list, I will be telling you what books to bring and when. You will not tell or in any other way communicate or even hint at anyone anything related to this. Am I understood?"

The house-elf crunched his face in thought, no doubt looking for loopholes, before answering, "Kreacher's mudblood-befriending filthy Master is understood, sir."

"Good. Go." Harry ordered and the elf popped away. Harry rubbed his forehead trying to will the approaching headache away.

"Might I suggest checking the Marauders' Map for young Malfoy's location..?"

"You're not letting me put this off, are you..." Harry grumbled.

"No time like the present", Sanguini quipped.

Harry dug out the Map and spend a good three minutes looking at it before announcing: "I can't find him." He put the Map back to his bag and added: "Which means he's probably in the Room of Requirement. I doubt the Room is letting anyone else in while he's there. I'll try to catch him tomorrow after dinner or something." Sanguini gave him a pointed look. "I'm not trying to weasel my way out of this!" When he got no reply other than a knowing smile he cracked and admitted: "Okay, fine, I'd be tempted but I won't. And I'm not doing this for the Greater Good. I'm doing this to safe my own ass." He got up and walked out.

Sanguini sighed. _And what a fine ass it is..._

O O O

The next day, Harry was in luck. He saw Malfoy leaving the Great Hall with his friends (*cough*sycophants*cough*) and heard them arguing. He correctly interpreted this as Malfoy's attempt at dumping his friends and taking alone time to _"work"_ on the task assigned to him by the Dark Lord. Harry excused himself from the dinner table with the excuse of having to meet Nigel (who had conveniently already finished his dinner and left) and after donning his Cloak in a shadowed alcove, he followed Malfoy to the Room of Requirement revealing himself only seconds before pushing the blond through the newly appeared door.

Harry briefly noted that the room looked a lot like a smaller version of the Slytherins' common room before his attention was forcibly dragged to the blond who began shrieking: "What the _Hell_, Potter! Give a guy a little warning!" The boy was heaving. Harry hadn't meant to make the boy quite that freaked.

"Sorry about that", Harry said, though his tone held very little regret in it. He decided to cut the chitchat and get straight to the matter at hand: "I'm having Kreacher bring me books from the Black library in hopes of finding something useful in them."

"Something useful?" Malfoy asked.

"Something I can use to end Voldemort", Harry said ignoring the flinch the name caused, "There are still a few things needed to be done before I'm ready to confront the snake-bastard but when I do, I'd like to have some kind of a plan of action."

"Couldn't you just use the Killing Curse on him..?"

"No", Harry bluntly replied, "I'm uncertain I could successfully cast an Unforgivable and I'm 100% convinced it needs to be something other than the Killing Curse to kill Voldemort."

"Fine, whatever. Why are you telling me this?"

"As I was recently reminded, you have time and an excuse to be away from your friends. The time I can use to go through the books – and there are many – is limited and I could use the help."

"You're asking me to do research for you", Malfoy said and then sneered, "Where's your mudblood know-it-all? Isn't this right up her alley?"

Harry ignored the insult to Hermione and indirectly to his mother, muggleborn as she too had been, and replied: "Ron and Hermione are unaware of what I've been up to lately and I'd like to keep it that way." When Malfoy looked more than a little curious, he elaborated: "I don't want to put them in any more danger than they already are and to be perfectly honest, they would probably hinder me more than be of use. They would also run straight to Dumbledore when something I did or said didn't please them."

"Ah tragedy. The Golden Trio is breaking up!" Malfoy taunted.

Instead of rising to the bait, Harry calmly replied: "Yes, I guess you could say that." Malfoy blinked at him in surprise but before he had the chance to say anything, Harry continued: "Kreacher has yet to complete the list of books in Black library that I asked him to make. Once I have the list I'll be telling him what books to bring. I'll instruct him to brings some here for you. If you find something, _anything_ I might be able to use I want you to come tell me. Or send a message with Kreacher."

"I haven't agreed to anything yet", Malfoy muttered but they both knew he had little choice but do it. The sooner the Dark Lord was dead and gone, the sooner he and his mother would be free.

O O O

It was another Monday night, a feeding night, as they both thought of it but never voiced it. Sanguini sank his fangs in Harry's wrist and three seconds later the door opened revealing Snape. The sudden intrusion in the middle of his meal made Sanguini hiss at the man like an angry snake, blood dripping down his chin. Snape had his wand out and pointed at the vampire in a split second but before the situation could get exponentially worse, Harry placed his non-bleeding hand on top of the vampire's head and said calmly: "Down boy." This made both the professors blink dumbly at him. Sanguini came to his senses and looked a little embarrassed. Harry ignored this and said: "Finish your meal."

The vampire nodded and complied continuing his feeding no longer paying any attention to Snape, who was now staring at the two of them in a mix of fascination and disgust.

"Close the door", Harry told the professor by the door, "and take a seat, Professor."

Said professor looked reluctant to take orders from a student but decided it was probably better not to aggravate matters before he knew exactly what was going on and so far it seemed like he might actually get some answers.

As soon as the professor was seated, Harry said: "I've known Nigel since before he began teaching here", He petted the vampire's hair fondly, "I've known from the very first time we met what he was, he never tried to hide it from me."

"You let a vampire into a school! I can't believe even you, Potter, could be that foolish", Snape berated, "A magical school is like a gourmet buffet for a vampire!"

"He doesn't drink from anyone here but me!" Harry snapped. Sanguini finished licking the puncture wounds closed but didn't look inclined to join the conversation.

"You expect me to _believe_ that?" Snape huffed, "He's a goddamn _vampire_!"

"And a better man than most", Harry snarled and took a deep breath before continuing, "I spend most of my nights with him. I would know if he were dishonest about his feedings." Sanguini summoned him a Blood Replenisher and Harry drank it with a quiet 'Thank You'. "You've known, at the very least strongly suspected, Nigel's not entirely what he seems and yet you've told no one. You know he's not a danger to anyone here", Harry reasoned.

"Unless they are a danger to you, my sweet", Sanguini softly corrected and received a sweet smile for it. Snape looked at their interaction suspiciously. Sanguini caught the odd look on his face and gave his fellow professor a nasty look, "You better not voice whatever you're thinking for I would have to take offense on his behalf."

"What?" Harry had no idea what the vampire meant until he saw the narrow eyed look Snape was still giving the two of them. "Oh he thinks we're screwing", Harry said casually and added: "We're not. Not that it's any of your business."

"Mr Potter!" Snape exclaimed in near outrage.

"Harry, you could have worded that in a little less... crass manner", Sanguini coughed to hide the chuckle that was trying to escape.

"Duly noted", Harry smirked. He knew Sanguini's reprimand was anything but serious.

Snape cleared his throat and said: "You know I can't let this go on."

"Why?" Harry bluntly asked.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"Why can't you let _this_ go on? As far as I'm aware, we're not breaking any school rules."

"He's a _vampire_!" Snape growled. Refusing to acknowledge the puppy dog eyes said vampire was giving him.

"I assure you, all the evidence shows that Nigel Nergui Sandman is quite human", Harry said with his face carefully blank.

"This man is _obviously_ a vampire!"

"Obviously? Have you seen him burn in direct sunlight? Refrain from eating solid food? Have you any proof at all that _this man_ is anything _but_ human?" Harry asked pointing at the man sitting comfortably at his feet and looking quite dignified for someone seated on the floor.

"He was drinking blood, for Merlin's sake!" Snape near shouted.

"Tell me, Professor, are you _unable_ to drink blood?" Harry pointedly asked and then decided to end the game and with a sigh said: "Look, I'm neither confirming or _denying_ that this man is vampire. I'm simply pointing out that you haven't any proof to support your claim that he is. Of course, were you to go to Dumbledore with your suspicions, he might believe you regardless. But I really see no reason why you should go to him. The man hired Nigel, after all. If he didn't check such a fundamental thing as Nigel's _species_ then he obviously wasn't worried. And Nigel has done nothing illegal or even morally questionable during his stay here at Hogwarts. Really, I can't see what your problem with Nigel is."

"There's a vampire teaching at Hogwarts and keeping a student as a pet and a blood-bag", Snape snarled.

"A student?" Harry asked with a tilted head and wide-eyed expression.

"You!"

"Wait, you think I'm his pet?" Harry chuckled and then outright laughed for a good half a minute before asking a smiling Sanguini: "Did you hear that? I'm your pet." Snape was not amused but Harry ignored that and said: "Perhaps there's something wrong with your eyes and ears, Professor. Nigel has never treated me like a pet", Harry chuckled and added to Sanguini: "More like the other way around, isn't it?" He petted the vampire's hair again and explained to the frowning professor next to him: "I feed him and pet him and I don't believe he's ever ordered me to do anything while we're out of class, where of course, he's like any other professor to me." He then wiped the smile off his face and said: "You should know this, Professor, Nigel has never, not even once, asked to feed off me. I have always offered. He is teaching at Hogwarts as a _favor_ to me and to _help_ me, to _protect_ me. Were I to ask, he would leave."

"I fail to see where your confidence in him comes from", Snape sniffed. Despite himself he felt a little reassured by the boy's speech.

"He's stronger than me and knows me better than perhaps anyone else dead or alive", Harry replied, "He's in the perfect position to hurt me, cause me irreparable damage and he's never once taken advantage of it. He has been more straight with me than anyone else I've ever met and that goes a long way in my books. He's teaching me, training me, helping me so that I can bring an end to this war as I'm supposed to. Unlike most the adults I know, he's helpful. Dead helpful."

Snape stared at the two of them long and hard before rising and walking to the door, "Fine, have it your way. If this blows to your face, Potter, I'm not helping you."

"Yes sir, Good night, sir!" Harry chirped and the man was gone. A short silence ensued. "That went well." And Sanguini chuckled.

O O O

The two of them were correcting the essays of the first year students in Sanguini's office when Harry said: "Hey, Sanguini..." The vampire hummed in response. "Do you think we should tell Snape about the Horcruxes now that he's aware of our bloody little secret and knows your helping me?"

Sanguini thought about the matter for two long minutes before answering, "You can tell him if you want, though I think there's something Severus is keeping from us."

Harry blinked at him, "How do you figure that?"

"He smells of guilt sometimes. When he's looking at you during mealtimes."

"Huh... That's interesting", Harry mused, "I'll have to ask him about that."

"He might not take such questions well." Sanguini warned.

"Oh I know", Harry chuckled, "You forget I've been dealing with the man for the past five and half years."

"He might bite your head off."

"He's all bark and no bite", Harry smirked, "The most he'll do is assign me a detention or few of scrubbing cauldrons and takes a point or hundred."

"It's your funeral", Sanguini turned his eyes back to the essays before him. The one on top of the pile had especially horrible handwriting. It was the essay of a muggleborn still a little new to writing with a quill despite the scary amount of written work the students were assigned.

"Oh come on! I know you're curious!" Harry laughed. "What in the name of Merlin's name could be making Snape of all people feel guilt when looking at me... Don't worry, I'll share once I get an answer out of him."

"If you're in any condition to do any sharing once he's done chewing you out."

Harry gathered the things he had spread on his side of the desk and cheerfully announced: "I'll emerge victorious, you'll see!" He practically ran from the room and made his way to the dungeons. It was still almost an hour away from the curfew so he made no effort to avoid attention.

When he knocked the Potion Master's office's door and it was opened, he was tempted to greet the man with a cheery 'Sevvie!' but refrained and instead chose a more proper but still friendly: "Professor Snape! I was hoping to have a word with you."

The professor looked at him like he had a few screws loose or completely missing, it wasn't normal for a student, especially a Gryffindor, to smile at him and the boy was practically glowing with cheer. He reluctantly let the boy in and closed, locked and silenced the door, just in case. Lately his discussions with the boy had been more than a little strange.

Without being prompted to, Harry took a seat in front of the desk and waited until the professor too was seated before he began: "I find myself in a very _sharing_ mood and decided to offer you some information Dumbledore is no doubt keeping from you. Afterwards I'm hoping you'll agree to answer a question of mine, but that is irrelevant for now."

"Oh?" Snape decided it was better to refrain from insulting the boy right before he was about to be handed potentially significant information. As he had trouble talking to the boy without insults, he chose to avoid talking altogether.

"Have you ever heard of Horcruxes?" Snape shook his head. "Your Lord has made them. Essentially he broke off pieces of his own soul and put them in different objects making him immortal until all these objects have been destroyed." Snape's eyes were a little wider than normal, the only visible sign of his surprise. "As far as we know, he made seven of them and three have been destroyed. The first was the Diary of Tom Riddle, which I destroyed back in my second year. The second was a ring from Riddle's maternal side of the family, which I believe was taken care of by Dumbledore. The third was the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw scorched by Sanguini not long ago. We believe the fourth one is the Slytherin's locket but other than that we have nothing but a theory. We figure he probably used something else of one of the Founders' as well."

"How do you know all this?" Snape asked weakly. He had known for a long time now that the man he had let mark him in his youth had been less than human, but to split one's own soul...

"Some I was told by Dumbledore but he's giving me the facts so slowly that I'll be growing gray hairs before he's shared all the essentials. Sanguini knew some and other stuff we've put together ourselves." Harry answered. "I'm telling you all this because of your unique position. You're able to observe the snake bastard and you might be able to bring something new to the table. He's immortal until all the Horcruxes are destroyed..."

"And when he's mortal once again?" Snape asked looking away.

"I'll be killing him, of course", Harry easily replied, though the lightness of his tone was mostly fake, "I'm the Chosen One, after all."

"Are you even _capable_ of casting the Killing Curse?" Snape asked without bothering to hide his doubts on the matter.

"No, I don't think I am. But there are other ways to kill and I rather consider the Prophecy to be clear on the fact that it will not be the Killing Curse I am to use but something else, something Riddle doesn't know about." Harry sighed and added: "We've already begun looking for something fitting. If you should find something, I would be most thankful, of course."

"My own collection of books is mostly of Dark magic and Potions", Snape admitted, "There might be some potion that could prove useful..."

"I'm not above using Dark magic if it comes to that", Harry huffed, ignored the slightly wide-eyed look and eagerly changed the subject to the mystery Sanguini had presented to him: "Now on to other matters. Professor, you're keeping _secrets_ from me", Harry said with the most Slytherin smile he could muster, "A little birdy chirped into my ear that something's making you feel guilty and this feeling tends to emerge when you're looking at me. Care to enlighten me?"

By the end of Harry's speech Snape was stiff as a board and even paler than normal. Harry sat in silence and stared until the man lowered his eyes and eventually closed them. Suddenly he looked tired and years older as he slumped back in his seat. "Seventeen years ago I made a mistake, one that I regret to this day." His voice was hoarse and when he opened his eyes, he refused to meet the inquisitive green eyes staring at him. "I was a loyal Death Eater back then, eager to prove my worth, eager to please my Lord. I was eavesdropping on the job interview between Trelawney and the Headmaster and I heard the beginning of the Prophecy as Trelawney made it. I took the information to _Him_." Suddenly there was a desperate gleam in his eyes, he looked straight at Harry and leaned forward in his seat. "I didn't _know_! I _swear_ I didn't know he'd go after _Lily_ when I told him! The possibility never even _crossed my mind_. I would have rather died myself than tell him had I known! When he shared his plans of going after the Potters I _pleaded_ with him! I _begged_ him to spare Lily and he _promised_!" He realized what he was saying, stopped and pressed his lips together tightly.

"That's when you turned traitor to the Dark and went to Dumbledore", Harry muttered to himself and then asked: "Did you love my mother?" It was obvious Snape didn't want to answer so Harry answered for him: "Of course you did. Whether it was romantic or platonic love, I don't think I want to know. But you did and that's why you've been protecting me, _her_ child, no matter how you hate me for being _James'_ as well."

"I swore I'd protect you", Snape whispered, "I _swore_."

Harry stared at the wall tiles for a moment and then turned his eyes back to the broken man before him, "I'm sure she forgave you a long time ago, Professor", he rose and walked to the door and before leaving the office he added softly: "I forgive you too. Now you only need to forgive yourself."

Posted 07-24-2012


	5. Planning Murders

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Planning Murder(s)**

Since the time Harry had begun to take learning Occlumency seriously, he had been spending an hour or so every night meditating. At first his foremost goal had been to learn to clear his mind and through that create Occlumency shields for himself. When he had begun to get a hang of that, he had begun to devote more of his meditation time into organizing his mind. It was part of an Occlumentic defense in which a person could appear to have their mind unshielded while at the same time revealing nothing of importance. Harry suspected Snape used this method to hide his traitorous thoughts from Riddle and Harry wanted to be able to do this as well. Not to be able to lie to Riddle, no, he wanted to level the play field when it came to the meddling old coot.

Unfortunately organizing a mind with as many wretched memories as Harry's was anything but pleasant. To hide things he didn't wish for others to find, should they use Legilimency on him, meant that Harry had to go through each rotten memory before pushing them in the back of his mind behind a thick and chaotic wall of memories of little importance. Of course, occasionally, he stumbled upon a pleasant memory in his search for the less savory ones. Like for example now.

_He was playing Exploding Snap with Sirius in Grimmauld Place and they were laughing as Sirius was telling a story about a prank they pulled on the unsuspecting professors back when the Marauders were still in school. Ron and Hermione were arguing a few feet away and it somehow added to the relaxed atmosphere. Sirius pulled Harry in a one-armed hug and – _

Harry's bed shook and he snapped out of his trance.

"Sorry!" Ron yelled without stopping. He had run into the bed-post of Harry's bed in his hurry to get into the bathroom before his roommates.

Harry hissed wordlessly in annoyance and quite a bit disappointment. It had been a good memory! He would've liked to enjoy it properly now that he wasn't hurting as much about Sirius' death as he had before Sanguini's supportive presence had gradually worked its magic.

He took a deep breath and tried to sink back into the memory but instead another memory flashed to the front of his mind. _The locket!_ He shot up in his bed and scrambled up. He needed a place with no audience. He grabbed his Cloak and Map and practically ran out of the room and down the stairs. He ignored the looks he got as he hurried out of the Gryffindor common room, ran into the nearest unused classroom and locked and silenced the door before near yelling: "Kreacher!"

"What can Kreacher do for filthy – "

"I need you to bring me the locket", Harry cut the elf off hurriedly, "The locket that no one could open, the golden one with the green serpentine S on it. Find it and bring it to me and this is strictly secret!"

"The locket is no longer in Grimmauld Place, Master Harry, the locket was stolen by disgusting thieving traitor Fletcher, sir", Kreacher replied and muttered insults under his breath.

"_What_!" Harry shrieked and then growled: "Oh-ho, that rat is _so_ dead!" Turning back to the house-elf he said: "Kreacher, find the locket. I don't care who has it. I want you to find it, steal it and bring it straight to me or if I'm in class then to Nigel. If you haven't been able to acquire it in the next five days, I want you to come report to me your progress and we'll go from there."

"What will Master Harry be doing with the locket?" Kreacher asked eying his master warily.

"I'm going to destroy it!" Harry growled, not really liking being questioned by the elf but as the question hadn't been accompanied by the usual insults, he figured he'd do the courtesy.

The elf went stone still, his eyes watered and then he _sniffed_ of all things. "Kreacher will find the locket for good Master Harry." A decisive nod and the elf was gone leaving behind a most befuddled master.

"What... just happened..?" Harry asked the empty room. He shook himself out of the shock of hearing _Kreacher_ of all people call him good _anything, _donned his Cloak and slipped out of the room. He made his way to Sanguini's office to share the recent turn of events. Occlumency was turning out to be more useful than he had thought.

O O O

Harry thought he had a pretty realistic picture of the abilities of house-elves and would have proudly claimed to anyone asking that he was one of the few who _didn't_ underestimate the little fellows. He had to correct his estimate of house-elf abilities a little when Kreacher popped to him the next evening proudly presenting the locket.

"Kreacher brought the evil locket. Master Harry destroys it now", the elf practically demanded.

Harry gingerly took the offered locket and showed it to Sanguini who was sitting on the other side of the desk. "That's definitely dark and powerful enough", Sanguini confirmed.

"Good job, Kreacher!" Harry grinned at the elf who grinned back and while the grin was anything but pretty, it was sincere and made Harry feel a lot better about being his master. "Do you want to come with us to the Room of Requirement and watch it burn?" The elf nodded eagerly enough that for a minute there Harry feared the elf's head was going to fall off. "Alright, let's go!"

The three of them made their way to the RoR, invisible, as they wanted to avoid unnecessary attention. They asked and received the same bare room they had burned the Diadem and the cursed obsidian stone in and as before, Harry laid the locket in the middle of the room before retreating to next to the doorway.

As the three of them watched the locket melt, Kreacher sniffed and tears ran down his cheeks, "Master Regulus' will finally done!"

"Kreacher?" Harry asked tentatively. Seeing the elf cry made him uncomfortable. "Kreacher? What was Regulus' will?"

"Master Regulus asked Kreacher to destroy the evil locket! Kreacher tried and tried and tried but _nothing_ worked!" The house-elf wailed. "Kreacher _tried_!"

"I'm sure Regulus would be very happy with you, Kreacher. You did good. The locket is no more so everything's fine now, right?" Harry tried to comfort the elf but felt inadequate at it.

"Thank you, Master Harry!" Kreacher wiped his tears and popped away.

After a short silence Sanguini said: "I think he likes you."

"An entire encounter without insults", Harry numbly muttered, "I think the apocalypse is coming."

Sanguini chuckled but then sobered and said: "Four down, three to go."

"Wait, do you think when Sluggie said seven, he meant there are a total seven pieces of soul instead of seven Horcruxes?" Harry suddenly asked.

"You mean to count the main soul as one of the seven", Sanguini hummed and said: "I think you're probably right. Seven is a good solid, magical number. At least in theory."

"So that's four down and two to go", Harry grinned.

O O O

Two weeks later found Harry sitting in Sanguini's office and staring into space. Eventually he asked: "How likely do you think it is that Riddle hid one of his Horcruxes in Gringotts? I mean Gringotts is one of the world's safest places if you want to store something valuable."

Sanguini stared at him silently for a while before answering, "Wouldn't you think that perhaps Gringotts is a bit too obvious a place?"

"Hmmm..." Harry hummed and bit his lip in thought, "Lucius Malfoy had the Diary. He kept it in his Manor."

"Which had little value unless you knew it was a Horcrux so there was little risk in anyone trying to steal it. It was probably best protected among the books in the Malfoy library", Sanguini said following Harry's unvoiced reasoning, "If Riddle gave one of his followers something precious, even without the the soul piece stored in it, then surely it would be stored in a high security vault in Gringotts."

"Bellatrix is Riddle's favorite, from what I've observed", Harry commented.

"And the only two other Lestranges with access to the Lestrange vault are Death Eaters as well. Lestranges are an old pureblood family. Their vault is no doubt one of the best guarded."

"How are we going to go about stealing from a place like that?" Harry asked worriedly. It was madness.

"It may not be as impossible as one might think", Sanguini mused, "All you really need, is a helpful goblin."

"Should we maybe try and confirm our suspicions before we try to break into the bank?" Harry suggested.

"I think it may be easier to simply go through with it and hope for the best", Sanguini replied with a small smile. His life had become much more interesting since he met Harry. "Oh, and _we_ aren't doing anything. _I_ will be doing this alone." Harry looked ready to protest, but the vampire didn't give him the chance. "It will be easier for me to do this alone, trust me."

Harry sighed in a very resigned manner and asked: "When will you be going?"

"Tomorrow after dinner."

"I'll bring you my Cloak. You'll be needing it if you want to leave the castle without being noticed."

"Thank you. It is probably better to have everyone think I'm still here. That way, if something goes wrong, no one will be pointing their fingers at me."

O O O

Harry was finding it ridiculously hard to concentrate on the essays he was marking. Were someone to ask him what the topic of the essays was, he couldn't tell them. He was alone in Sanguini's office, waiting for the vampire to return. The whole idea of stealing something from Gringotts was starting to feel more insane by the minute. He was worried, dammit. And he was seriously regretting letting the vampire go without him. He wasn't used to worrying about his friends. Usually when his friends were in danger, he himself was as well which left him a whole lot less time to worry about them.

It was about ten minutes to midnight that the office door opened and Sanguini stepped in. He looked whiter than ever and the shadows under his eyes were as black as they could get. He looked like a walking corpse.

"Sanguini!" Harry sighed in relief and ran to the vampire.

"_Stop me_", The man breathed and then in a flash of movement he had Harry against a wall and his teeth sunk in the bare neck.

Harry gasped and then he was whimpering. Unlike the usual bites, this one actually hurt. He knew it could have been a lot worse, but the vampire obviously wasn't in control enough to remember to be careful. He knew he was losing blood quickly from the cold feeling that was spreading through his extremities. The sounds of eager swallows and happy little moans were filling his head and he was beginning to feel dizzy. "Sanguini..." He tried to speak but his voice was barely a whisper. He lost consciousness.

When he came to, it was quiet in the room. He was lying on the floor on a cloak he quickly recognized as Sanguini's by the smell alone. He opened his eyes and whimpered when the light, even as dim as it was, made his head hurt. He looked around until his eyes fell on the figure sitting curled up against the wall on the other side of the room. "Sanguini..." He quietly said and made to get up.

"You shouldn't move yet", the vampire's voice was raspy and filled with something Harry had never heard in Sanguini's voice before. When Harry relaxed back down, the man continued: "I am _so_ sorry, Harry. What I did was inexcusable."

"Come here", Harry softly said. The man made no move to obey so Harry added: "Either you move or I move. The end result will in either case be the reduction of distance between the two of us." The man reluctantly rose and moved closer sitting down on the spot indicated by Harry. As the man was now within his reach, Harry placed his hand on the man's knee and asked: "How are you feeling?"

Sanguini gave a sad laugh, "How am _I_ feeling? I almost _drained_ you _dry_ and you're asking _me_ how _I'm_ feeling?"

"I'm fine", Harry huffed.

"I had to give you my blood, _vampire_ blood to fix the damage I did and two Blood Replenishers as even the vamp blood wasn't working quickly enough on its own!" Sanguini shouted.

"And _now_ I'm fine", Harry stubbornly insisted, "There is no permanent damage done." They had talked about the effects of vampire blood on humans before. In small quantities it could be consumed with no ill effects. It helped humans heal at a faster rate and it left the system in a week or two.

"I _hurt_ you, Harry!" There was deep shame in his voice.

Harry smiled, "You weren't the first to hurt me but I don't think anyone has ever felt as guilty about causing me harm as you do."

"You have no idea how close to dying you came", Sanguini whispered, like saying the words aloud could somehow make Harry die despite his rabidly improving condition.

"I've been bitten by a basilisk, dealt with a dragon and had a fun meeting with Voldemort where I was tied to a gravestone while he was waving his wand in my face. I'm used to situations where death is near and I haven't yet kicked the bucket. In fact, one might say I'm notoriously difficult to kill."

"I'm supposed to keep you safe, not endanger you!"

"I forgive you. Let's forget all about this little episode and concentrate on the important things", Harry waved his hand in a dismissive manner. He felt strong enough, so he sat up. "Did you find a Horcrux?"

The man looked reluctant to change the subject but dug a bundle of cloth from his magically enlarged pocket. He carefully peeled the cloth – which happened to be a shirt of his – to reveal a golden cup with a badger on it.

"Helga Hufflepuff's, I take it?" Harry guessed eying the very telling animal design.

"It was in the Lestrange vault as we suspected. A goblin who owed me a favor or two helped me get it. Unfortunately we triggered some protective measure as we were leaving. He wasn't one of the goblins working in the lower levels so he didn't know about it. He had no trouble blending in the crowd of angry goblins but I wasn't as lucky. Escaping wasn't easy as there was a dragon and a few special bred guard dogs involved in the thief hunt", Sanguini said, "I should have found some muggle to feed from before coming here! It was very foolish of me underestimate my hunger."

"I think I prefer you drinking from me instead of accidentally killing a muggle in your blood-lust", Harry dryly commented. Sanguini shook his head but said nothing. "Let's go scorch the Cup."

On their way to the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor, Harry muttered: "Riddle used something of Slytherin's, Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's... Do you think he used something of Gryffindor's as well or was he like the average Slytherin and hated the house of lions enough to skip that particular founder?"

"We only have one more Horcrux to go, if our theory about six Horcruxes plus the main soul is indeed correct."

O O O

It was the second Wednesday of March that Harry had his next 'lesson' with Dumbledore. After the usual greetings (and a declined offer of lemon drops) the Headmaster said: "I'm afraid I have some bad news, Harry my boy", he sighed sadly, "I have been trying to reach Horace to ask him to meet you but my owls haven't been able to find him and the house we met him during the summer is currently empty."

"We need the memory, right?" Harry asked and tried to look as innocent as he could with the face he had been given. It had become easier to lie to the Headmaster now that he was confident his Occlumency skills were good enough to protect his secrets without shouting '_I'm hiding something!'_

"We will have to do without", Dumbledore sighed again, "The memory would have no doubt ridden us of a lot of uncertainty." He then launched on to a recount on Tom Riddle's years at the end of his schooling and after. He told about how everyone had expected great things from Riddle and despite great job offers he had chosen to work at Borgin and Burkes of all places, though Dumbledore also admitted that Riddle had asked to teach at Hogwarts but had been refused because of his young age. He then showed Harry a memory of an old house-elf in which Hepzibah Smith showed Riddle two of her greatest treasures: the cup of Helga Hufflepuff and the locket of Salazar Slytherin. Harry wasn't surprised to hear the good lady had died mere days later and Riddle had quit his job at the shop.

Dumbledore then showed Harry another memory, this time one of his own. In it Riddle – no longer the stunningly handsome man he had once been – was again requesting the post of DADA professor though it was glaringly obvious he had little interest in it and already knew it would once again be denied from him. After the memory ended, all Dumbledore was willing to elaborate was that after the meeting no one had been able to hold the post longer than a year.

Harry was simultaneously irritated and amused. He was irked because of the lack of new and usable information. They had already disposed of both the locket and the cup and the curse on the DADA post was gone as well. The fact that _he_ knew that but Dumbledore didn't amused him to no end. He knew he should keep his face blank, solemn enough to give Dumbledore no hints about anything being _off _but he couldn't help himself. Right before he turned to leave the room, he _smirked_ at the old man, barely holding back the snigger that wanted to accompany the lone sign of his mirth. He could practically hear Dumbledore's cogs turning as he walked out of the room.

_Whoops_. He thought to himself. _I hope Sanguini will forgive me._

O O O

When Harry recounted the lesson's contents to his vampiric friend, he received slight scolding and a truck load of amused smiles and laughs.

Harry was enjoying the situation wholeheartedly. He was so sick of having to live and act without all the facts and now he was in the position to actually be the one holding the information. And from Dumbledore of all people!

He knew it was a dangerous game he was playing. By refusing to share with the Headmaster, the Leader of the Light, he was taking more responsibility than a boy of his age should carry. He did have Sanguini and that was what tipped the scale. Without Sanguini he wouldn't have dared to act against the Headmaster in any way. He felt safe with the knowledge that Sanguini wouldn't hesitate to correct him if he went wrong and that the vampire wouldn't keep information from him for 'his own good' or for 'the Greater Good'.

Harry forced himself to come down from his happy high to ask Sanguini: "Do you think I should have another chat with Snape? Give him a status report and ask him if he has anything to share..?"

"You want to rub it in his face that we have made more progress than his beloved Headmaster", Sanguini translated.

"Yes! I confess!" Harry laughed.

"Go on then. It's still a while before the curfew", the vampire made a shooing motion.

"I'll see you tomorrow then!" Harry chirped and left with visible bounce in his step.

He ran into Hermione on the way as she was returning from the library. "Where are you going?" The witch asked.

"To see Snape", Harry honestly replied and then added a tiny little lie: "I have an Occlumency related question." It was no secret from his roommates and Hermione that he had been practicing the art on his own. The very thought of Harry _voluntarily_ going to Snape for anything was enough to have Hermione gaping. Harry ignored this and continued on his way.

Snape wasn't happy to find Harry knocking on his office door, as was evident from the tick by his eye. "Come in." He reluctantly growled, slammed the door closed behind Harry and cast the usual protective measures.

"I've come here to gloat!" Harry announced before the professor had even had the chance to sit down. "We, that is Sanguini and I, have gotten rid of all but one or two more Horcruxes! The gloating is about the way we've found and destroyed several while the old coot has taken care of the grand total of _one_."

Snape looked at the grinning boy with a carefully blank expression and said: "Ah."

Harry frowned and scrunched his nose at the inadequate reaction and then brightened again, "Oh, you're purposely trying to tick me off!" Snape raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying the accusation. "In addition to the gloating, I came here to ask you if you have something you wanted to share."

After a short silence Snape asked: "Do you happen to know if it's possible to make a living being a Horcrux?"

Harry blinked dumbly and then said: "Oh! You think Riddle made Nagini a Horcrux..." Something was bugging Harry about the thought. It was right there at the edge of his mind... "Oh shit", he practically whispered when it finally came to him. "Oh shit", he repeated a little more loudly as he shot up from his seat, "Shit shit shit shit shit..." he cursed as he practically ran out of the room leaving a very confused and slightly worried Potions Master behind.

He ran and burst into Sanguini's office, "We have a _gigantic_ problem." He declared. Sanguini had the presence of mind to magic the office door closed, lock it and silence it as he strongly suspected the following discussion wasn't one for other people's ears. Harry was breathing hard from the running. Without further explanation he grabbed Sanguini's wrist and placed the man's hand on his forehead over the famous scar. "Feel it."

"What – ?"

"_Feel_ it." Harry repeated with his most insistent tone.

Sanguini hesitantly turned all his attention to the scar he was touching and gasped as he _felt it._ "No..." He breathed.

It was enough for Harry to know he had indeed been right, he pulled away and practically shouted: "Why does shit like this always happen to me! Is it seriously too much to ask to be even a little normal!"

"Harry – "

"I have a piece of that murdering bastard in me!" Harry felt tainted. "I'm a Horcrux!"

"How did you know..?"

"Because Nagini is one as well and I'm able to see both through Riddle's and the snake's eyes. It was the most simple explanation to the connection we share. It may have been something else between me and Riddle but there was nothing connecting me to the snake until..."

"Until Riddle put a piece of himself into the snake as well", Sanguini finished for him.

"He won't be mortal before I'm dead", Harry's face was suddenly dead blank.

"Harry – " Sanguini began but was interrupted by a knock on the door. He magicked the door open and Snape walked in warding and silencing the door as he closed it behind him.

"Would someone be kind enough to explain to me what's going on?" Snape asked, his face's blankness rivaling that of Harry's.

"Nagini's a Horcrux", Harry said.

"That is what I was going to suggest before you ran out of my office like your tail was on fire", Snape said with a nod and barely visibly questioning look in his eyes.

"_I'm _a Horcrux."

A deep silence followed. Snape stared at the boy and then turned to the vampire: "We're going to have to kill him."

"Yes", Sanguini agreed with a solemn nod.

"Suffocation, perhaps?" The greasy haired man suggested.

"That would probably be the best."

"Could you plan my murder when I'm _not_ in the room!" Harry wailed.

"Oh _quit_ the dramatics, Potter!", Snape sneered, "It'll be only temporary. We'll bring you back."

"Huh?"

"Harry, you need to die, yes, but I see no reason why should _stay_ dead", Sanguini gently explained, "We'll carefully plan how to kill you and then when the Horcrux is gone, we'll bring you back to life."

"This is insane", Harry whispered and covered his face with his hands.

Sanguini pulled the boy into a comforting hug and stroked the boy's back, "We'll do this right and there will be nothing to worry about."

Snape refused to look at the touching display and left the room announcing: "I'll start brewing potentially useful potions just in case."

"You're notoriously difficult to kill, remember?" Sanguini teased softly, "You'll be fine."

O O O

It was about a week before Easter Break that Kreacher brought Harry a note from Malfoy. _"I found something. -D" _it said. Harry rushed to the Room of Requirement that opened to him but no doubt refused to even appear to anyone else while Malfoy was occupying it. As soon as he entered the mini Slytherin common room replica, Harry asked: "What did you find?"

"Good evening to you too, Potter", Malfoy sneered, "Didn't anyone bother to teach you manners?" Harry didn't comment so he sighed and said: "The Dagger of Righteous Revenge." He showed the book with the information to Harry while explaining: "The book has a ritual to turn a dagger – or some other bladed weapon, I suspect – into something you can use to kill even with just a scratch the witch or wizard who has wronged you horribly and without provocation on your part. I figure your situation fits the requirements perfectly. You did nothing to him and yet the Dark Lord tried to kill you when you were defenseless."

"That's not the only time he's wronged me", Harry muttered eyes glued to the ancient pages of the book.

"Exactly!" Malfoy was very proud of his find.

"Righteousness. That's certainly something Riddle's never understood." Harry muttered thoughtfully. The ritual seemed like something they could work with. It didn't require sacrifice or anything else morally questionable. They would be needing a several different ingredients – often used in potions, he noted – and a new moon, which was quickly approaching, if he wasn't badly mistaken. And he rarely was. Almost becoming werewolf food back in his third year had taught him to always be aware of when the next full moon was.

"It's perfect, right?"

"It certainly seems so to me", Harry agreed, "Good job, Malfoy!" The blond preened and the fact that praise from _Harry_ got such a strong and visible reaction was a little sad. "I'll have my allies take a look at this but if this looks workable to them then we're one gigantic step closer to killing the snake-bastard."

"I can stop looking through the books then?" Malfoy asked looking rather relieved.

"Yeah. I'll tell you what they say about this but you can definitely quit the search until we hear what they have to say", Harry grinned and added one more teasing praise before leaving the room: "You're definitely a Hermione-class researcher!" He laughed as he heard Malfoy yell an offended "Hey!"

Both the professors agreed the ritual seemed to be exactly what they needed. It was old magic and the magic used to create it had to be the deeply emotional kind. Someone like Voldemort, who lacked the ability to feel such emotions as love, longing, loss and righteous anger, would never be able to create the dagger.

All three of them agreed that they should do the ritual as soon as possible, which left them four days to prepare before the next new moon. Sanguini sneaked out of the castle and bought a suitable non-spelled pure silver dagger (and boy was that harder than one might think, near _all_ the weapons in the Wizarding World were at the very least charmed to never go dull). Snape donated the necessary ingredients from his private stores and used his contacts to acquire the two that were too rare and hard to preserve to be kept in stock. Harry had to be the one to do the ritual so it fell to him to learn the long incantation in Latin and the correct wand movements and such.

When the new moon night arrived, the three of them made their way to the Room of Requirement which provided them a suitable open area with a marble floor on which they spend an hour drawing the ritual circle with salt.

"Are you _sure_ you remember everything?" Snape asked for the third time that night.

"For the umpteenth time, _yes_!" Harry snarled. He was feeling twitchy, he didn't need Snape's badgering to make it worse.

"If you make a mistake you could very well – "

" – mess up the whole thing so that we'll have to wait another month until the next new moon if there's enough life in us to do anything after the room blows up, yes, I am still perfectly aware", Harry sniffed and walked to his place in the circle while the two professors retreated to the edge of the room, a good ten feet away. Harry looked the circle carefully over one more time checking that everything was exactly like the book had specified, with the silver dagger in the middle and the ingredients in place in different parts of the design around it.

When he was as certain as he could be that everything was perfect, he began the chant and the complicated wand motions. As soon as he began, he could feel the tug on his magic. Slowly the design on the floor begun to glow and change and the lines and the ingredients began to move towards the dagger in the middle. After the first half of the chant the ingredients began to get absorbed into the dagger and when he finished, there was nothing left on the floor but the dagger which had a rabidly dimming glow to it. When the dagger stopped glowing, Harry picked it up and stared at it. "That was surprisingly easy", he said and promptly fainted.

O O O

_Magical exhaustion is a bitch_, Harry decided. While he hadn't been unconscious longer than two hours or so, Snape had ordered him to avoid using any magic for the next three days. He never realized how much easier and faster magic made things before he wasn't allowed to use it. Sure he was without magic during summer time but it was different somehow. His usual routines at Hogwarts weren't very compatible with magiclessness. His hair took forever to dry without a handy little charm. It was ridiculously difficult to get rid of food and ink stains without a handy little charm. The snores of his roommates kept him awake at night without a handy little charm. He was dependent, alright! When the three cursed days were over he was relieved enough to cry (almost, it was a close call).

Posted 07-30-2012


	6. To Live

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Chapter 6: To Live**

Monday, the first day of Easter Break saw Harry rising early. There was a rather high chance that his friends would force him to spend the day with them and he didn't want to risk skipping feeding Sanguini. Not that he thought the vampire was especially hungry, but it was a little like keeping a pet. You didn't starve a pet even if it didn't (know how to) ask to be fed.

It was perhaps the first time Harry saw Sanguini in a state that could only be called _ruffled_. He was always so perfect in appearance, not a hair out of place and clothes completely wrinkle-free. If waking the vampire up earlier than usual allowed Harry to see him in such a cute state, then he would have to do it more often.

Ron was already stuffing his face when Harry arrived in Great Hall. Hermione gave him a questioning look to which Harry briefly explained he had wanted to ask Nigel about something. She didn't look completely convinced, but as she often did nowadays, she dropped the subject.

Knowing Ron would use the start of the Easter Break as an excuse to force him to take part in an unofficial Quidditch match that morning, Harry made sure to eat his fill. Keeping in mind the fact that he had that very morning donated some blood and was so in a slightly weakened state despite the potion he had downed.

Alive. He felt so very alive when he was flying on his beloved Firebolt. It had been a long time since he had flown. He was playing Seeker, naturally, and while the Seeking brought him less pleasure than he remembered, flying... It was Heaven.

Rushing through a quick shower after the match to make it to lunch in time, he nicked his knee on a sharp bench corner. It bled sluggishly.

Red... It was the color of human life, he idly mused.

_Episkey_ and _Tergeo_ and the wound and the blood were gone.

Night was approaching fast, faster than he was ready to admit. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready yet.

Vigorously rubbing his face to shake the numb feeling he got up from the dinner table. Afternoon had passed without him noticing. It was time, he knew. It hadn't been voiced but he had seen it in Sanguini's eyes that morning that it would be tonight.

Yes... Tonight he would die to live.

O O O

Harry and the two professors were in the Room of Requirement which had provided them a room that was empty except for a higher than normal bed and a nightstand. The night stand was littered with vials of potions, of which hopefully only one would be needed.

"When I'm dead, Nagini's the only Horcrux left, right?" Harry needed to talk to calm his nerves. He sat down on the bed. It had pristine white sheets. _Like a hospital bed_, he thought.

"Yes", Sanguini said and gently took off Harry's glasses. They might get in the way and he wouldn't be needing them.

"He doesn't know about the Horcrux in me, I think", Harry was talking more to himself than the two others in the room, "If he knew, he wouldn't be so dead set on killing me. It's a good thing I've been learning Occlumency. He shouldn't be able to notice the connection between the two of us missing since I've been blocking him for a long while now..."

"You know _Occlumency_?" Snape's voice was incredulous. He had tried (kind of) to teach the boy and it had been a disaster. The boy had no talent when it came to Mind Magic.

"Sure. It hasn't been easy to learn though, but I was suddenly highly motivated after – " _Sirius died_.

"I want to see you in my office tomorrow after breakfast."

"It's the Easter Break!" Harry protested. He wouldn't ever admit it, but the seemingly cruel demand was very assuring in a way. It was basically a '_don't worry because you will be alive tomorrow_' said in Snape-style.

"I want to see for myself if there's any truth in your highly _questionable_ claims of having learned Occlumency", Snape snarled and handed Harry a potion to put him to sleep. It was the kind that knocked the drinker out efficiently but wore off quickly. Harry downed it knowing the dose was barely enough to keep him asleep for a quarter of an hour. And then he was out.

Sanguini settled the boy straighter on the bed and hesitated.

"Do you want me to do it?" Snape offered. He could see that it was hard for the vampire. It would be hard for him too, but it wouldn't be the first time he had to do something against his moral code to end this war. To keep his cover he had to _be_ a Death Eater and there were many sins weighing on his soul.

The vampire shook his head without taking his eyes off the sleeping boy's face. Slowly he moved his hand to cover both the nose and mouth. It was painful. Not to the sleeping boy, no. Sanguini was hurting. When the boy's heart began to slow down and stopped, he placed his other hand on the scar. _Please, please, please_, he repeated in his head until he finally felt the darkness vanish. Yes! He removed the hand covering Harry's nose and mouth and immediately Snape cast _Rennervate_. Hearing Harry gasp and cough was music to their ears. They hadn't shown any of their doubts to Harry not wanting to panic the boy, but they had both been quite aware that there was risk involved, no matter how they went about it. There had been no guarantee the unwelcome shard of soul would leave without Harry's soul passing on as well.

"Should we give him something?" Sanguini asked referring to the potions.

"No, he wasn't without oxygen long enough to cause any damage. Let's wait until he wakes up and can tell us himself how he's feeling."

"Alright", Sanguini sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

It was perhaps the longest ten minutes in the vampires very long existence but finally Harry opened his eyes. "Ow..." The boy whined and weakly rubbed his head.

"How are you feeling?" Sanguini asked, careful not to raise his voice. It was rather obvious Harry had at least a Hell of a headache.

"Like a roadkill", Harry moaned miserably.

A potion vial was thrust into his face with a strict order: "Drink."

He didn't even bother checking what it was before downing it, "Oh... That's much better", he mumbled when all the aches, especially the pounding one in his head, vanished.

"Sleep", Sanguini softly said, "I'll wake you up in the morning and we'll think of an excuse for you to tell your friends." He stroked the boys ridiculously messy black hair until and a while after the boy fell asleep. He paid no attention to the Potions Master exiting the room.

O O O

The following morning Sanguini gently shook Harry awake. He hadn't slept a wink, but it was fine. He didn't require much sleep, vampire as he was. To him sleeping was mostly a method of conserving energy.

"Good morning", he said as soon as he deemed Harry awake enough to register what was said to him, "We need to go eat breakfast."

"Ugh." Harry rubbed his bleary eyes. Sanguini handed him his glasses and he put them on.

"Your friends must be worried."

"What should I tell them?" Harry mumbled and sat up. Sanguini couldn't help but smile at the adorable mess his hair was. His clothes were crumbled as well, but those Sanguini straightened out with a quick charm.

"Tell them you were visiting me and you fell asleep. I couldn't bear to wake you."

"Sounds good", Harry agreed.

"And don't forget to go see Severus after you've eaten", Sanguini reminded.

"How dead do you think he'd kill me if I were to go take a quick shower before meeting him?" Harry tentatively asked.

"Your funeral", came the amused reply.

"I was afraid you'd say that..."

O O O

He felt dirty and he really needed to brush his teeth. He'd already died once in the past 24 hours and he'd gotten better so he decided to risk it. Needless to say when he finally knocked on the Potions Master's door the reception he got was less than pleasant.

"You're _late_, Potter. I was expecting you an _hour_ ago", Snape growled.

"I felt icky", Harry shrugged.

"You felt _icky_?" Came the incredulous reply. Harry nodded. The professor sighed and then said: "Wand out."

"I don't think I'll be needing it", Harry said.

A raised eyebrow and, "Have it your way. _Legilimens_."

Harry felt the intrusion slam against his mental wall. He had strengthened his defenses right before the meeting.

Snape stopped the attack and said: "Interesting. Has the Headmaster seen this?"

"If you mean have I told him I've learned Occlumency then the answer is no", Harry replied, "If you mean whether he has tried to use Legilimency on me and found out he's unable to, the answer is a 'probably not'."

"You think the Headmaster hasn't used Legilimency on you? Don't be an arrogant idiot, Potter. He uses it on _everyone_ on a daily basis", Snape huffed.

"Oh I'm _sure_ he has used it on me. I just never keep my mind closed off when I'm in his company. I've simply made sure there's nothing... _incriminating_ for him to see", Harry chuckled.

"That's awfully advanced Occlumency for you, Potter", Snape said sceptically.

"As I said last night, I was highly motivated", Harry smirked victoriously. It was more than just a little victory to get a compliment out of the surly Gryffindor-hating, and especially Potter-hating, professor. Even if the compliment was disguised as an insult. It was all a matter of perspective and he was determined to take it as praise.

"Perhaps you're not a total lost cause as I had previously thought", Snape muttered.

"Careful now, or I'll have to start checking for Imperius and Polyjuice Potion!"

"You're Potions work has been steadily improving this school year", he added with a thoughtful expression.

"Okay okay! _Merlin_, if you wanted me gone you could have just asked!" Harry huffed and walked out of the office. Had he looked back, he would have seen a tiny little smile tugging at the professor's lips.

O O O

"We have a dagger. Now we need a plan", Harry began the meeting of minds. He and the two professors were sitting in Sanguini's office.

"I can get us past the wards of the Dark Lord's residence", Snape supplied.

"We need to kill the snake before Riddle", Sanguini said.

"Nagini hardly ever leaves His side."

"I was easy to kill but I'd be willing to bet my right arm Riddle has cast every protective spell he knows on that snake", Harry said with a frown, "We'll need something a little more extreme to kill her."

"I could Fiendfyre her", the vampire suggested.

Harry shook his head and said: "I doubt Riddle will just sit and watch while his Horcrux is burning. I'd prefer something quicker and less attention grabbing."

Snape was looking quite happy talking about the demise of the snake. He had nothing against snakes in general, but that particular one gave him the creeps. "Like beheading?"

"If we can find a weapon that can cut through all the layers of magic on Nagini then yeah", Harry shrugged.

"Like the Sword of Gryffindor?"

"See, that's why I like you!" Harry announced with a happy clap of hands and then in a more subdued manner added: "Well that's why I would like you if I did like you. In theory." He ignored the slightly annoyed look Snape was giving him. "Now we just need to borrow the Sword – "

"From the Headmaster's office where it's under the watchful eye of Dumbledore, Fawkes and the paintings of past Headmasters?"

"Now you're just being difficult on purpose", Harry huffed.

"You believe you can steal from the Headmaster's office without getting caught?" Snape wasn't buying that at all.

"Oh please! I'm like the master sneak! I'll wait until the old coot is away, go under my Cloak and if Fawkes is there, I'll say '_please_'" Two sets of skeptical eyes stared at him. "I'll bet you fifty galleons I can do it."

O O O

Snape provided Harry with the password to the Headmaster's office and as soon as Harry entered under his Cloak, he cast a silencing charm around the portraits so that they couldn't hear anything that was said in the office. Naturally the portraits had seen the door open and knew something was wrong, but they had no way of knowing who had entered. Harry saw a few of them leave their portraits. To warn the Headmaster, Harry figured. But he knew the Headmaster was eating lunch in the Great Hall and it was a portrait-free zone which left Harry a little more time.

Fawkes of course knew he was there, judging by the bird eyes that locked on to him despite his invisibility, the bird could see him as well. "Hi Fawkes. You'll let me borrow the Sword, won't you? It was kind of given to me by the Hat, after all. I'll return it afterwards, I promise." Fawkes chirped his approval.

"Thanks", Harry gave the bird a grateful smile and hurried to the Sword on display. He cast a general detection charm to check what relatively recent spells had been cast on the Sword and its surroundings. He was happy to find the Sword had nothing on it (well, nothing new, as the charm wasn't capable of detecting the old enchantments on it). The black satin pillow it was resting on, on the other hand, did. It was charmed so that if the Sword left it, Dumbledore would know. "How very irritating."

He stared at the Sword and lightly bit the tip of his thumb in thought. In the end he muttered "Let's keep things simple" and simply grabbed the Sword without even trying to work around the notification charm. He covered the Sword as well with his Cloak and ran out of the office while breaking the silencing charm around the portraits. He hurried down the revolving staircase and slipped in to the first unused room down down the hall. It was a good thing he did, because ten seconds later he could hear through the door Dumbledore running past. He knew his Invisibility Cloak wouldn't have stopped Dumbledore from detecting him.

He waited until he was sure Dumbledore was up in his office and then ran to Sanguini's. He had told both Snape and Sanguini about his plans and they had offered to give him an alibi. It was still Easter Break so it wasn't all that strange for professors to eat away from the Great Hall. Their story was that the three of them had eaten lunch together in Sanguini's office discussing the DADA classes and they had indeed ordered lunch from a house-elf with Harry present before he left to do some _borrowing_.

"Pay up!" Harry announced as he entered the office and set the Sword on the desk. He took his seat and began wolfing down his lunch (still blissfully warm thanks to a Stasis charm).

"I better put that away", Sanguini muttered and left to hide the Sword in his private rooms.

"You had no problems then?" Snape asked wondering how many times the boy had succeeded in sneaking around the castle without getting caught if sneaking in and out of the Headmaster's office was within his abilities. He decided he didn't want to know.

"Fawkes could see me, but he gave me permission so he won't be telling. The portraits knew there was an intruder and probably saw the Sword vanish, but that's all. Lifting the Sword off the pillow it was resting on set off a notification charm so Dumbledore came running but he didn't see me", Harry reported.

"He can probably see through your Cloak", Snape pointed out.

"Which is why I made sure to be out of his line of sight", Harry smirked, "I know what I'm doing." Snape handed over a pouch of Galleons. "Pleasure doing business with you", Harry chirped.

"I'm sure", Snape dryly replied.

"So when are we going snake hunting?" Harry asked when Sanguini returned to the room.

"Anyone have any plans for tomorrow?" The vampire asked.

O O O

"We're going through the front gates, right?"

"Yes. This time we want the Headmaster to be aware of us leaving and returning." It would be one less thing to explain when they returned if they didn't have to explain how they left without anyone noticing.

The three of them were walking across the Hogwarts grounds. Harry had his Cloak and the Dagger, Sanguini had the Sword and Snape had his wand ready.

"Dumbledore will be panicking as soon as he feels me leave the grounds", Harry chuckled, "I'd love to be a fly on that wall."

"He'll call the Order but I doubt he'll alert the Ministry", Snape mused.

"Do you think we should bring them Riddle's head?" Harry asked.

O O O

Snape Side-Along Apparated all three of them into the entrance hall of Riddle's Headquarters as only those who had the Mark could locate the place. It was a variant of the Fidelius. They had chosen the time carefully. It was a little after midday, a time they knew Riddle would be awake and working but when there wouldn't be too many Death Eaters around. When they appeared, there was one guarding the entrance hall but he was swiftly stunned.

"This way", Snape showed them and they hurried on. It was dead silent in the house. They didn't stop to hesitate when they reached the ornate door of Riddle's study. Nagini would have already felt them from the vibrations of the floor no matter how quiet they were. They burst into the study, Sanguini first and Snape right behind him, Harry coming last and hidden under his Cloak.

Several things happened quite simultaneously. Snape began to cast quick temporary wards around the room, to prevent Riddle from calling reinforcements and Apparating or Portkeying away. Sanguini ran straight to the twelve feet long snake and thrust the Sword vertically through the furiously hissing snake's head. The sword sank through the head like butter and embed itself five inches deep into the floor. Riddle rose from his seat behind his desk and yelled: "_No_!"

"Your sixth Horcrux, wasn't she?" Sanguini asked. Really, one might think a dark lord would know how to reign in their reactions because the angry growl he gave was very telling. "Yes, I thought so. We've destroyed all the others as well. There's none left now."

"Severus, you disgusting _traitor_!" The snake-like man hissed.

"No, by 'we' I didn't mean Severus and I, though he was the one to figure out that Nagini was one. I meant _Harry_ and I", Sanguini corrected the false assumption. "We're going to kill you now."

Riddle laughed an insane little laugh and said: "Potter isn't even – !"

He never got further than that as a dagger sank into his back. The reaction was immediate, the light vanished from the man's eyes and he began dissolving into pure white flakes, like snow, that vanished before hitting the floor.

When there was nothing left – even Riddle's clothes, wand and the Dagger vanished – Sanguini said: "Beautiful end for such a wicked man."

A silence fell into the room.

"There's no head for the Headmaster!" Harry whined.

Sanguini burst into laughter and Snape sighed resignedly.

O O O

Two minutes after they entered through the front gates of Hogwarts, half of the Order ran out of the castle and to them. McGonagall was at the front of the mob shrieking, "Severus! Nigel! How dare you take one of _my_ lions out of the castle grounds without permission!"

At this point even the Headmaster (a noticeably slower runner than his Deputy) had arrived. "Please explain yourselves", Dumbledore said while trying to catch his breath.

"You can't just take a child out of the protections of Hogwarts on a _whim_!" Molly Weasley practically screamed.

"_Excuse me_!" Harry yelled to have the crowds attention and then cleared his throat before saying, "First of all, no one _took_ me anywhere. I'm perfectly capable of taking myself wherever I wish to go. I have two perfectly functional legs, thank you very much. Secondly, let's try to keep in my mind that I'm hardly a _child_ anymore. I would also like to point out nothing was done on a _whim_. There was some heavy planning involved, after all."

"So where did you go?" Remus Lupin gently inquired.

"I'm so sorry Professor!" Harry suddenly said to Dumbledore, his face the very picture of apologetic and crushed. "I was going to bring it to you as a gift but there was _nothing_ left! Not even a _nose_!"

"What – ?" came from several members of the crowd.

"The _head_!" Harry wailed.

Snape decided it was enough, though even he could see the entertainment value in the confused and worried faces of the Order, "That's enough, Potter."

Harry's face went through an instant transformation from sadness and despair to outright chipper. "Okay!" he chirped and then said to the crowd: "We killed Voldemort."

A mass flinch at the name and then: "WHAT!"

"He's _all_ dead now. _Deader_ than dead. D-E-A-D _dead_", Harry said and hummed happily.

After a moment or two of gaping, Dumbledore turned to his pet Death Eater, "Severus?"

Snape unbuttoned his sleeve and showed everyone how his Mark had faded to a mere scar. "He's truly gone this time."

"But – ", the Headmaster begun.

"There's no piece of him left anywhere", Harry said knowing Dumbledore would understand he meant the Horcruxes. "Of course there are still the Death Eaters", Harry said in a casual kind of tone, "We didn't kill any of those, but they aren't _my_ problem, right? I don't want anyone else's blood on my hands." He then walked through the crowd and toward the castle.

"Harry – !" Molly tried to call after him.

"Leave him alone for now", Sanguini advised, "I can answer any questions you may have. There's no need to bother him. He wants peace and quiet, I'm sure."

"If you'll come with me to my office..."

"Of course, Headmaster."

O O O

Sanguini returned the Sword to its pillow and spent a good hour telling Dumbledore about the Horcruxes and the end of Tom Marvolo Riddle before the Headmaster was satisfied. Sanguini wrote down the coordinates of Riddle's base. Anyone could enter as the wards had fallen with Riddle. "I trust you'll take care of alerting the Ministry." The Headmaster nodded and before leaving the room, Sanguini added: "Oh and we took care of the curse on the DADA post."

As he returned to his own office, he found Harry slumped on his usual chair. "Took you long enough."

"The Headmaster was very thorough in his questioning. He wanted every little detail", Sanguini replied, an amused smile spreading on his face, "It seemed hard for him to comprehend that Voldemort had been defeated with so little input from him. Obviously he had always fancied himself a huge part in the murder of Tom Riddle." He came to lean against the desk about a foot away from where Harry was sitting.

"He made him so he thought he'd have to end him as well", Harry sighed.

"You think Dumbledore was responsible for the way Riddle turned out?" the vampire asked surprised.

"No. Yes... Maybe? I think maybe it was more like Dumbledore could have prevented it", Harry stared into space, his face completely blank, "He could have found little Tom some other place to stay besides the orphanage. Such a loveless place can't be good for anyone and Dumbledore could see Tom's potential from the very first time they met. It seems to be a mistake he keeps repeating. He's lucky he didn't accidentally create another dark lord."

"He shouldn't have left you with those Muggles, but I doubt you could have turned twisted like Riddle no matter your upbringing."

"I killed a man today, Sanguini", Harry quietly said turning his eyes to meet those of the vampire, "I _killed_ a man."

Sanguini shook his head. "That doesn't make you evil. Not even dark. Not in these circumstances. You killed out of _necessity_. You killed so that you and hundreds of others could _live_."

"I don't feel guilty", Harry admitted.

"You saved lives today, Harry. Remember that", Sanguini said, "In all likelihood you won't ever have to take a life again."

Harry leaned forward in his seat and hugged the vampire around the middle pressing his face against the man's chest. "They'll celebrate a murder", he mumbled, "They'll paint me a hero because of the murder I committed."

"Let's think positive, hmm?" Sanguini softly said and thread his fingers through the boy's hair, "I'm here and so when they get too much for you to handle, you can always come here."

"Thank Merlin for that", Harry softly laughed.

"And the Headmaster won't be able to force you to stay at the Dursleys' using the protection against Voldemort as an excuse anymore. If you want, you can stay the summer with me and we can go wherever you want."

"Really?" Harry practically jumped out of his seat in excitement, "Alright! No Dursleys! Freedom, here I come!" Then he settled down a little and said: "I doubt the old coot will be all that agreeable, though. He's going to say I have to stay locked up somewhere to keep me safe from the Death Eaters and whatnot."

Sanguini smiled widely and said: "If it comes to that then we'll make a run for it. I won't let him imprison you."

"Well, there's still a couple of months until the end of school year so let's not worry about the summer yet", Harry decided, "There are more urgent problems, after all."

"Like?"

"Like how am I going to tell Ron and Hermione I went after Riddle without the two of them? They'll eat me alive! I'm serious! _Stop laughing_! You haven't seen Hermione angry, she's scary, _alright_! Oh, she's going to skin me alive, I just know it. You'll attend my funeral, right? _Sanguini_ – ?"

- End of Dead Helpful -

**AN: **Thank you for reading! All the positive reviews have been most encouraging and they are most appreciated. At the moment I have no plans for a sequel but I'm not saying anything definite either way.

Posted 08-01-2012


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